Threads is chaotic and I love it

An analysis of why it's such an addictive mess

Threads was released on July 5th, 2023, when X (formerly Twitter) was amid its biggest downfall. Some rumored that it was the end of the billion-dollar company. Threads is a simplified version of X, and the fact that Meta released a copycat of their opponent’s app at that time is explicitly the funniest thing ever.

Knowing the toxicity of X and how threads work the same way, I didn’t care to join the app. I downloaded it, had a look, and deleted it. It was not until somewhere at the end of June 2024 (when I was awake at 2am because I drank 3 shots of espresso that afternoon) that I officially decided to re-download it, got inspired by other users’ threads, and posted something. Almost 3 months later, Threads is part of my daily routine. It is on my breakfast plate. There’s something so intriguing about non-stop scrolling through the endless strands of threads, conversations, and ideas and occasionally stopping to contribute to that substantial chaotic mess by writing something myself.

Why?

No one knows who you are

You’re no one but a username. Sure, you can have an irl profile picture, and your Threads is connected to Instagram, but if you check out at least 2 out of 3 in this list:

(1) Use a clone account and/or have no posts, real names, real pictures

(2) Avoid talking about crazy, controversial topics/your super spicy deep dark thoughts at 2am

(3) Refrain from connecting with your friends, family, or colleagues

I can assure you that no one knows or cares about who you are. You’re free to discuss anything, which leads us to…

It’s a space to talk about ANYTHING.

Literally anything. The platform is about inviting conversations, so any topic in the world is welcome. It can be a pretty intimate space for personal accounts to share whatever they want, shower thoughts and all.

It also acts as a conversation sparker. People will reply and either agree with you, resulting in even more stories, or disagree and debate your ideas. Either way, it’s a fun way to talk to random people about random topics and maybe enjoy or learn something along the way.

Instant Gratification

Hear me out: Threads is one of the easiest social media platforms for users to go viral. You’re not guaranteed to go viral on every post, but the chances are high compared to other Meta apps/X. A user doesn’t need followers to get post views because the system is fair for everyone: new users, new posts, and first posts have equal chances to reach other users on the platform. You will get interactions if you have a good question, a good statement/idea, or a good story. Even if it’s a shitpost, it will still get views and a bit of likes.

What about these interactions? It’s addictive. Social media is meant to be addictive. Each like or positive comment presents a little dopamine hit to our brain, thus creating reward pathways in the brain causing you to desire more likes. But Threads is even better at playing with their users’ dopamine. The platform’s notification system likes, replies, and reposts offer instant gratification: the immediate fulfillment of a person’s needs or desires. When someone makes an impulsive choice to do something for the instant feeling of pleasure or satisfaction, they are receiving instant gratification.

It’s a killer system for Meta: from expecting nothing and posting for fun, users will slowly shift to expecting likes and views because their previous posts got attention. This ultimately creates a habit of constantly checking the app and posting more and more. The more interactions they give to users, the more users they will gain. I wonder if there’s such a thing as “interaction inflation,” though?

It’s hilariously entertaining

Besides serious conversations, it’s also a space for memes, jokes, and funny stories for the purpose of entertainment. Here are a few examples I saved recently:

“Wtf is lgbtq+? Gay premium?”

I laughed at this for 5 minutes idk

Context of the video: The ad board is running because of the flood, hence “chạy quảng cáo” (idk how to translate this joke)

“The wifi password is WHAT?”

The Community is Huge

Threads thrive on its expansive, diverse community. Users from all walks of life—professionals, enthusiasts, or casual participants—congregate in one shared space rather than in separate niche groups. For instance, if you ask a question about history, there’s a high chance that historians, history buffs, and others with knowledge of the topic will respond. The same applies to any other subject, from science to pop culture. It’s like Reddit, but all subreddits are compacted into one huge subreddit.

Doomscrolling

Threads’ focus on short, text-based posts facilitates rapid information consumption, similar to X. However, its more aesthetically appealing and user-friendly design makes the scrolling experience smoother and more visually enticing. This quick, bite-sized engagement makes users feel like they are always just one post away from finding something new or essential, fueling a cycle of doom-scrolling: compulsively scrolling through social media, spiraling into hours of seemingly endless consumption.

Like other social media, Threads likely uses algorithmic feeds that learn user preferences, showing content that is more engaging to that specific user. This guarantees users being trapped in the app for hours.

These tiny mechanisms foster a “just one more scroll” mentality, which turns into a doom-scrolling cycle when you scroll for hours and hours until you have 3 hours left to sleep.

In conclusion,

If you’re a Threads user, please get some sleep.

You know who you are.

Citations

(1) Ackerman, C. (2019, July 4). What is Instant Gratification? A Definition + 16 Examples and Quotes. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/instant-gratification/

(2) Cleveland Clinic, (2020, September). Everything You Need to Know About Doomscrolling and How to Avoid It. Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/everything-you-need-to-know-about-doomscrolling-and-how-to-avoid-it

(3) Flex, A. (2023, July 5). The Rise of Instant Gratification Culture: How Smartphones and Social Media Contribute. Medium. https://medium.com/@neonmaxima/the-rise-of-instant-gratification-culture-how-smartphones-and-social-media-contribute-33bfa3a43ab4

(4) Klein, J. (2021, March 3). The darkly soothing compulsion of “doomscrolling.” Www.bbc.com. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210226-the-darkly-soothing-compulsion-of-doomscrolling

(5) Mehta, K. (2022, October 31). Why You Succumb To Instant Gratification – And The Easiest Way To Make Life Optimizing Choices. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kmehta/2022/10/31/why-you-succumb-to-instant-gratification--and-the-easiest-way-to-make-life-optimizing-choices/

(6) Pan, X., Hou, Y., & Wang, Q. (2023). Are we braver in cyberspace? Social media anonymity enhances moral courage. Computers in Human Behavior, 148(107880), 107880. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107880

(7) Social Media Research Institute. (2024). Social Media Research Institute. Smri.world. https://www.smri.world/dictionary/algorithmic-feed