Klaus Nomi Wasting My Time (1981)
When German countertenor and new wave singer Klaus Nomi recorded his song “Wasting My Time”, he probably wasn’t thinking about doomscrolling (well, how could he, back in 1981?). Instead, he was likely reflecting on his relationship with a certain someone.
Yet, the recurring refrain, “I’m wasting my time,” and lines like, “When I’m with you, I feel so unreal / When I’m with you, just don’t know how I feel,” could just as easily capture today’s experience of endlessly consuming negative news online.
While doomscrolling is especially prevalent among young adults in the US (where 46% of millennials and 51% of zoomers doomscroll on a regular basis), it’s a habit familiar across cultures and generations. And it’s a dangerous one. Research shows that doomscrolling can significantly harm mental health, linking it to heightened anxiety, depression and even physical symptoms of stress.
A study from University College London found that doomscrolling operates as both a cause and a consequence of poor mental health, creating a vicious cycle: exposure to negative content worsens mood, which in turn drives further consumption of similar material.
Falling in love, as Nomi suggests in his song, comes with its challenges too. But isn’t it better to waste time on matters of the heart than to be sucked down the endless spiral of social media obsession?
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