I recently read an article from the “Tiny Vulnerabilities” Substack by Megan Zolorycki, a writer talking openly about the not-so-pretty parts of the human experience. In one of her articles, Megan writes: The mantra of my generation: don’t be better, just post better.
Agreed, I went to a concert at ETSU a few years ago, all I could see in the crowd were people looking down at their phones....when each song was over they'd hold their devices and sort of clap or yell for a few seconds then right back into their own social media world. It was hard for me to imagine and I don't have social media uploaded to my phone for this reason...I don't want to be one of these people.
As Arizonajerry has said, this is a huge and deeply worrying concern. The points you raised, Steve, are demonstrative of the addictive and destructive nature of social media platforms. The quest for a dopamine fix by young people is made so much more accessible with a smartphone that kids go into panic mode when they are denied access to it for more than a moment. Our neighbour's boy (14) started crying heartbroken tears when his parents took his phone from him for 1 week for some misdemeanor!
The competition for social status on Facebook, Tik tok, Instagram and others can be likened to an ocean of drowning people, each clambering on top of another person, pushing them down in order to survive. It brings out the worst in people, looking after your own interests no matter if you destroy others in the process.
I have mentioned before how the hierarchy of Meta Platforms are fully aware of the serious mental health damage and loss of school performance their apps are causing, yet they refuse to address the problem because, in doing so, the financial loss would be unthinkable to them.
This subject is just too huge to treat in a post. All this electronic menace will contribute to extinction of our species. Unfortunately millions of other living things will disappear also. While all living things are evolving the human species is devolving. Cell phone destroyed my family. I do not recall when we had a conversation last. Even at meal time wife (45) and daughter (21) while stuffing their opening look at the phone screen. When we are home together each of us is in a different room looking at the computer screen. I gave up perhaps 5 years ago. Defeated. I am looking for a partner that I could actually do something with. While it is perfectly OK with family, I did not find one, yet that would not use the cell phone. Even the "silicone wives" are now manufactured with an interactive conversation. I hope that soon some more interactive species will replace human one.
Agreed, I went to a concert at ETSU a few years ago, all I could see in the crowd were people looking down at their phones....when each song was over they'd hold their devices and sort of clap or yell for a few seconds then right back into their own social media world. It was hard for me to imagine and I don't have social media uploaded to my phone for this reason...I don't want to be one of these people.
As Arizonajerry has said, this is a huge and deeply worrying concern. The points you raised, Steve, are demonstrative of the addictive and destructive nature of social media platforms. The quest for a dopamine fix by young people is made so much more accessible with a smartphone that kids go into panic mode when they are denied access to it for more than a moment. Our neighbour's boy (14) started crying heartbroken tears when his parents took his phone from him for 1 week for some misdemeanor!
The competition for social status on Facebook, Tik tok, Instagram and others can be likened to an ocean of drowning people, each clambering on top of another person, pushing them down in order to survive. It brings out the worst in people, looking after your own interests no matter if you destroy others in the process.
I have mentioned before how the hierarchy of Meta Platforms are fully aware of the serious mental health damage and loss of school performance their apps are causing, yet they refuse to address the problem because, in doing so, the financial loss would be unthinkable to them.
This subject is just too huge to treat in a post. All this electronic menace will contribute to extinction of our species. Unfortunately millions of other living things will disappear also. While all living things are evolving the human species is devolving. Cell phone destroyed my family. I do not recall when we had a conversation last. Even at meal time wife (45) and daughter (21) while stuffing their opening look at the phone screen. When we are home together each of us is in a different room looking at the computer screen. I gave up perhaps 5 years ago. Defeated. I am looking for a partner that I could actually do something with. While it is perfectly OK with family, I did not find one, yet that would not use the cell phone. Even the "silicone wives" are now manufactured with an interactive conversation. I hope that soon some more interactive species will replace human one.