Why I Just Deleted My Instagram Account
and how our collective actions make big ripples
I interrupt this Earth Devotions program for an important announcement that may not seem directly related to plants or caring for our earth but in actuality it is:
Please join me in Lights out on Meta!
Log out for a week on all of your accounts associated with Meta. That’s Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, What’s App, Threads and Reality Labs. And if you are able and ready, go further and deactivate or delete your accounts owned by Meta. Your life will change. The more who do this, the more Our lives will change, in a GOOD way. We will begin to return to our roots.
Let me just say that I had one damn, beautiful, amazing Instagram account. It was the only social media platform I had and despite never having bought an ad to boost my profile, not having a ‘sister’ Facebook account which grows your following, not ever buying anything through their advertisements and having been blocked, posts removed and/or hidden for absolutely no reason other than encouraging people to live closely to the earth and respect each other, I had almost 14K engaged followers.
I dedicated thousands of hours over the last 7 years of my life sharing earth-based posts and stories with people because I want to grow the green movement of earth stewardship and plant/human relationships, and I love writing and taking pictures. I put my all into it just like I do everything and although it’s had its perks, but I have known for some time that the overall picture is no longer in service to the direction I want to head nor the direction I envision for our planet. And now it’s high time I personally do something about it. And I am asking you to consider doing something about it, too.
So why did I just delete my Instagram account when voices like mine (and yours) are needed more than ever and now I will have no say in the game?
Because it is time to stop fooling myself that I am actually having a long-term, effective impact through a medium that is meant to take us down.
When I saw the billionaire CEO’s of all of the world’s main social platforms standing behind Trump (who just created his own currency) at the inauguration on Monday, I was both horrified and terrified. Democracy has been swallowed by the Oligarchy. Clearly we are in an oligarchy rule now, and with Oligarchs, you don’t have a say in their game, so don’t pretend you do. That’s the way they work. The ONLY say you have in the game is to refuse to play.
There are hundreds, probably thousands of things I directly choose to do that are in conflict with what I believe. I have convinced myself that they are the lesser of two evils because of the benefits I receive by doing them. For example: driving a car, using single-use plastic, flying in airplanes, shopping at Whole Foods, buying crap made with sweatshop labor, paying taxes to our military, using Apple and Google and having a cell phone to name just a few.
I am complicit with many things that I would like to shift and am not ready/capable to end them all at once. So today, I start with one. Today, for me, it is forever Lights Out on Meta.
Meta’s recent announcement for loosening hate speech policies and ending fact checking is dangerous and scary and we are kidding ourselves if we think we can stay ‘love and light’ in that kind of realm. One does not become a billionaire without exploiting millions of people, places and things. When Billionaires run a country, the interest of its citizens is only tied to economic gain for them. Become a walkaway. Create a new game which is actually an old game and it’s called going Grassroots.
Here is why I beg you to consider deleting your Meta accounts:
Why delete your Meta accounts?
Take Back Your Power
Your attention is the greatest currency you have. It is the biggest POWER CARD you hold and can play in this day and time. Use your power of Attention with Intention. Walkaway. Use your attention to create open-source models of connection.
The Name.
Shame on any business that would have the arrogance to take on the name ‘Universe’ when they solely have self-interest in mind. There is no affection or care or universal consideration about Meta. It is a few white men wanting to keep white power in the hands of a few white families at the expense of billions of humans and the earth’s body. Do you want to support that? If our small businesses are ‘dependent’ upon this model to run, then they will ultimately come crashing down anyway. Walkaway. Use your attention to create open-source models of connection.
Data Abuse.
Our personal data is being collected and used for all kinds of purposes through Meta that are definitely not in our best interest nor in the interest of cultural diversity or planetary health.
Our privacy is basically nonexistent. We are pawns of the oligarchy.
Data breaches are happening left and right and who knows who all has and will have access to our most sensitive and confidential information, like our social security and bank account numbers, our healthcare records and our entire history. Meta is not the only one but it is a BIG one. Start here. Don’t give it to them. Walkaway. Use your attention to create open-source models of connection.
Stealing Content.
AI is largely built upon the photos, videos and writings we have given to Meta. Meta does not compensate us for our life ‘material’ but uses it to make billions of dollars for Itself. Something is inherently wrong in this. The content we post/share is used for profit, and not our profit. We are giving away our lives for free, basically. And then we are asked to pay for them. We sign a terms of agreement when using Meta that gives away all rights to our own personal content! Walkaway. Use your attention to create open-source models of connection.
Algorithm’s Inhumanness
Although algorithm’s intention was to ‘help us’ have better experiences with the internet and social media by catering to what we like and want, this systematic approach to information is not human. It is artificial, can be bought and is, and is inhumane. Study up if you’d like to learn more. AI does not just mean Artificial Intelligence. It also stands for Algorithm’s Inhumanness. If you value your humanity, walkaway. Use your attention to create open-source models of connection.
Breeds Disconnection.
Who here is addicted to their feed? Who of us have neglected our kids, our partners, our family, animals, friends, homes, our gardens and even our own bodies in exchange for the ‘food’ of Meta? We are not God and we do not have any business nor the mental and physical capacity to know and respond to what everybody else is doing everywhere. We have become enslaved to a source that may lead to some connection but overall it is in exchange for our Presence. What is alive and present and needs our Attention that is right in front of us? This energy is what builds true and lasting connection and meaning in our lives. Walkaway. Use your attention to create open-source models of connection.
Not Me! Not You?
I personally can no longer be an excuse by being one of those ‘good’ accounts that keeps you returning to Meta. I won’t feed the monster anymore. You? Walkaway. Use your attention to create open-source models of connection.
Everything is Temporary.
You gotta let go of everything eventually anyway. All your material accumulations as well as your virtual ones: pictures, stories, videos- you ultimately can’t take any of that with you so exhale, let go and surrender to the freedom you will have in not being so attached to it all. You can download your favorite things from the apps for now if it is too hard to fully let go. I understand. I did some of that myself.
Please join me in Lights Out on Meta!
For now, I am here reaching out to you through Substack. Where will this engine go in time? How willing and capable are Chris Best, Jairaj Sethi and Hamish McKenzie of not being swallowed by greed and power and becoming another Meta Monster? I don’t know. I am here and will share my love of earth, all beings and especially the plants with you as long as there is accountability and integrity in the model.
I won’t lie- it is completely intimidating to me to ‘throw away’ my IG- how will I ‘get new followers’ and grow my work and be able to support myself with writing and teaching and spread the green word if I don’t use Meta?
I don’t know, but I have to take that risk and stand behind the commons. Because that is what I believe in and what I want. Sharing and caring. What do you want? Because your choices today are making our future tomorrow. If you do choose to stay on Meta, at least expose them with this and other posts about this. Please and thank you.
Pour yourself a cup of tea at some point today and/or eat something wild and live your life as if the god in everything matters. May all beings know peace. A new world is possible. Yes, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
Mary Morgaine Squire
1/23/25
Under a waning moon
Mary, thank you so much for this. I feel it in my BONES. Last night I was tossing & turning & couldn’t shake this feeling of “no matter how impactful teachings on IG may be…as a whole I think it’s squashing us more than uplifting us.” I have been wrestling with deleting mine for a while now but get pulled back in every-time. I’m still not 100% what I want to do, but I am inspired by your leap and leadership here. P.s. I’m in Asheville & am excited to attend your plant walks & tea ceremonies in the future. Big love to you 💕
you are absolutely right on in many ways except this: oligarchs have not just recently swallowed democracy. WE gave it away. we abandoned democracy when we allowed them to genetically engineer the food table. turn fresh water into sugar beet juices,destroy ma and pop biz. tolerated the advent of walmart et al in the middle of the country when the clinton’s decimated american industry and farming in the mid 90’s. reagan gave away our rights to sue vaccine companies in late 80’s and we sat by and allowed it. we abdicated our power by turning to television and media instead of our own communities,supporting our local bookstores and libraries. we’re an illiterate country addicted to ginned up imagery and sound bites. we’ve become a spiritually bankrupt country because they’ve told each successive gen there is no god and we agreed. we’ve allowed our tax dollars to fund hegemony war and pillaging ALL OVER THE GLOBE. we’ve funded our own police state. our self poisoning. we’ve adapted to every ‘convenience’ thrown in our direction. seduced like mice to a trap filled with government cheese. the oligarchs have always been behind so called leadership. they are now emboldened to show their faces because we helped them by participating in our debt slavery fighting for virtue and positioning over real human values. i dumped social media in 2020. felt my brain changing and decided VOWED promised myself books,real food,sunlight and music. everything on the scrying black mirror is a trick of state craft wielded by the high priests and death cult masters of dark arts. one day soon,i pray we will awaken from our slumber and finally remember who and what we are.