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> The fact is that people seem to love being afraid and anxious They don't love it, but it does compel them to engage with the content. Engagement = growth. So

> The fact is that people seem to love being afraid and anxious They don't love it, but it does compel them to engage with the content. Engagement = growth. Social media is basically a cancer. There are good pockets here and there if curated carefully, but overall it seems like it's a drain on society.

agumonkey 5y ago
web 2.0 makes one miss pubs
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
slivanes 5y ago
I read someones comment that put this into perspective, here was the basic take: In repressive regimes, social media is a boon for the general public to organize and resist. In established democracies, social media has slow insidious negative effect on the general population, typically propaganda supplied by the disillusioned and said repressive regimes.
- lupire 5y ago
  Social media triggered the Arab Spring which destroyed nations.
- unishark 5y ago
  I think this is an aspect of a general network security problem. Another example is how the internet or phone system turns people in developing countries into targets for scammers worldwide. We just assume it's a inherently good thing that everyone can be connected to anyone else. But these are the downsides it creates.
TravHatesMe 5y ago
My concern is that it creates a false sense of reality. As people become more consumed by technology, the content of the technology becomes their reality. To be delusional is my greatest fear.
- hn8788 5y ago
  That's definitely true. I have a family member that was doing a running program as part of physical therapy. One day they said they were afraid to go running alone because they read about a girl getting kidnapped while she was out for a run. Turns out it happened over 1000 miles away, but the constant fearmongering and outrage bait has warped their perception to think that kind of stuff is happening everywhere all the time.
- Layke1123 5y ago
  Way ahead of you with religion.
- climb_stealth 5y ago
  For a few weeks I lived with people whose world view seemed shaped by popular news channels on TV. They seemed genuinely and constantly worried about getting mugged / raped / murdered / burgled in their perfectly quiet and innocent suburban neighbourhood. It has been years since then but this disconnect between reality and their perception still boggles my mind. And it really has me worried that it is not an isolated thing.
  - cutemonster 5y ago
    Also can make people think that others in a place nearby are dangerous and evil all of them, and in that way keep conflicts alive or start new. > For a few weeks I lived with people whose world view seemed shaped by .. I wonder, what could have been things to say, that could have helped them to stop looking at the world in that way Unplugging the TV would have helped I suppose Or giving them something else to think about, but what?
    - climb_stealth 5y ago
      > I wonder, what could have been things to say, that could have helped them to stop looking at the world in that way I'm not sure, I feel like you can't change people unless they want to be changed. I'd say lead by example and show that it can be different. Personally I try my best not to judge people by looks. I've had some questionable looking people asking for help in the past. And they turned out to genuinely need help and it was easy to do and it felt good to do. Things like letting someone use my phone, getting their diabetic dog out of the sun and home, helping with public transport because they got shitfaced the night before and couldn't work out how to get home. It also helps having been on the other side of it. No one wanted to even let nerdy-looking teenage me use their phone. My car broke down and I didn't have credit on my prepaid phone to call for help. Apparently not a single person I approached had a phone on them. Yeah, whatever...

agumonkey 5y ago

web 2.0 makes one miss pubs

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

slivanes 5y ago

I read someones comment that put this into perspective, here was the basic take: In repressive regimes, social media is a boon for the general public to organize and resist. In established democracies, social media has slow insidious negative effect on the general population, typically propaganda supplied by the disillusioned and said repressive regimes.

lupire 5y ago
Social media triggered the Arab Spring which destroyed nations.
unishark 5y ago
I think this is an aspect of a general network security problem. Another example is how the internet or phone system turns people in developing countries into targets for scammers worldwide. We just assume it's a inherently good thing that everyone can be connected to anyone else. But these are the downsides it creates.

TravHatesMe 5y ago

My concern is that it creates a false sense of reality. As people become more consumed by technology, the content of the technology becomes their reality. To be delusional is my greatest fear.

hn8788 5y ago
That's definitely true. I have a family member that was doing a running program as part of physical therapy. One day they said they were afraid to go running alone because they read about a girl getting kidnapped while she was out for a run. Turns out it happened over 1000 miles away, but the constant fearmongering and outrage bait has warped their perception to think that kind of stuff is happening everywhere all the time.
Layke1123 5y ago
Way ahead of you with religion.
climb_stealth 5y ago
For a few weeks I lived with people whose world view seemed shaped by popular news channels on TV. They seemed genuinely and constantly worried about getting mugged / raped / murdered / burgled in their perfectly quiet and innocent suburban neighbourhood. It has been years since then but this disconnect between reality and their perception still boggles my mind. And it really has me worried that it is not an isolated thing.
- cutemonster 5y ago
  Also can make people think that others in a place nearby are dangerous and evil all of them, and in that way keep conflicts alive or start new. > For a few weeks I lived with people whose world view seemed shaped by .. I wonder, what could have been things to say, that could have helped them to stop looking at the world in that way Unplugging the TV would have helped I suppose Or giving them something else to think about, but what?
  - climb_stealth 5y ago
    > I wonder, what could have been things to say, that could have helped them to stop looking at the world in that way I'm not sure, I feel like you can't change people unless they want to be changed. I'd say lead by example and show that it can be different. Personally I try my best not to judge people by looks. I've had some questionable looking people asking for help in the past. And they turned out to genuinely need help and it was easy to do and it felt good to do. Things like letting someone use my phone, getting their diabetic dog out of the sun and home, helping with public transport because they got shitfaced the night before and couldn't work out how to get home. It also helps having been on the other side of it. No one wanted to even let nerdy-looking teenage me use their phone. My car broke down and I didn't have credit on my prepaid phone to call for help. Apparently not a single person I approached had a phone on them. Yeah, whatever...