Likes themselves (and ranking content using them) aren't the problem — it's their public nature that makes it feel as if our social value is determined by them.

Likes themselves (and ranking content using them) aren't the problem — it's their public nature that makes it feel as if our social value is determined by them. If likes, followers, etc. were private (that is, you could see who liked your post but no one else could), you wouldn't worry about what others would think of you based on those numbers. But since they're public and prominently displayed, we equate those numbers to our social value and end up with undesirable effects like comparing ourselves to others and focusing on what would get approval rather than what's authentic.