why instagram is so addicting

I don't keep Instagram on my phone. Okay, sometimes I do, but most of the time I access it via my laptop. The desktop experience is entirely different—it feels much more intentional and administrative. Because features like Reels are clunky on a browser, it loses that addictive pull. I can't keep it on my phone because it's simply too powerful. Instagram has commodified and glamorized the human experience, leaving us to wonder why we spend so much time there. Ultimately, Reels are designed to tap directly into our brain's reward system, making them incredibly hard to resist. TIMESTAMPS 0:09 instagram is designed for your phone 2:13 instagram is nothing but a entertaining escape 4:02 the human experience is commodified 4:43 the "perfect" influencer is not real 5:48 instagram wants you addicted 6:12 our phone is the problem 7:00 longer content is better 8:15 it is finding a balance