4 ms·
My little sister just started high school and in less than a semester is unrecognizable. There is no more her in her day to day life, everything is curated to p
by ThalesX 4y ago
My little sister just started high school and in less than a semester is unrecognizable. There is no more her in her day to day life, everything is curated to perfection. There are no more hobbies, no more interestes, no more curiosities, there is just "me".
I was so confident in her ability to withstand the impact of social media, due to her education, but ultimately I was just shocked at how fast the change was.
I now no longer believe the human brain is capable of withstanding its effects.
I guess it's a brave new world.
- ceedan 4y agoDamn that hurt to read. That's such a shame
- RangerScience 4y agoYou might check out a book called “Reviving Ophelia”.
- alar44 4y ago[dead]
- AlexandrB 4y agoI think it's important to remember that high school is a critical time where a lot of people shift focus to their friend groups and their own reputation therein. Social Media changes the terrain, but the game is not that different. I remember back to my own high school experience and how my range of activities narrowed dramatically and there was a lot more focus on who's dating whom and what the cool kids are up to. All of this is to say that most people outgrow this stage eventually. High school doesn't last forever.
- ThalesX 4y agoI also remember my high school times, it was at the bridge between the analog and the digital and it's a completely different playing field. I understand where you are coming from, but I am very close to my sister and what they are experiencing does not compare to what traditional high school coming of age scenarios had. You mention who is dating whom and what the cool kids are up to. Imagine what the global reach and competition do to this particular interest.
- maerF0x0 4y agoFor example when I was in highschool, it was really uncommon to date someone from another school. You'd have to have some overlapping extracurricular in common. Maybe a job or a church etc. To be top in 1000 person school you'd have to be 1:1000 person. Now it's perfectly normal for flirtation to happen city-wide via social media. That means the competition for top choices is now city wide. To be top in a 100k teenager city you;d have to be 1:100000, being 1:1000 could simply mean you're viewed as "average" because highlight reel nature of social media means the average people are essentially invisible.
- Spivak 4y agoI wouldn't worry about it too much. Every girl goes through that, they're called your formative years for a reason. The start of HS is basically a reset where you go from chasing whatever fancy catches your attention shamelessly-ish to consciously developing an identity filtered through the social pressures of wanting to fit in. It starts to wane around 17 when we start feeling confident enough to be ourselves, but on purpose this time around. She'll be fine.
- ThalesX 4y agoI like how people respond as if I haven't gone through high school, or am aware of the typical changes that are associated with that period, in boys and girls. I'm also not saying she's not going to be fine. I'm just shocked at the impact of social media on their experiences and have concluded that it's impossible to resist. They'll all fall in the bell curve so of course they'll be alright, but they'll be alright in a way different world than the one in which we were alright.
- nitwit005 4y agoI'm sure people know you went through high school yourself, but plenty of people seem to completely forget what it's like to be a young person.
- NoPicklez 4y agoI think it's because in your post you don't acknowledge any of the typical changes that are associated with that period. Your post seemed quite helpless.
- anigbrowl 4y agoPerhaps it'd have more impact if you supplied some additional context, like the gap in your ages or so.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- nvarsj 4y agoRelax. Sounds like a typical HS girl trying to be cool and fit in. When she reaches university she will mellow out substantially.
- ThalesX 4y agoI'm not, not relaxed. I've also been in high school and spent time with typical HS girls. I also have a very communicative relationship with my sister. It's typical for today, not the typical narration of old. Also have you seen university students today?
- bazmattaz 4y ago> I now no longer believe the human brain is capable of withstanding its effects. 100% agree. I don’t think any brain born after the social media age can resist getting hooked on it. For those of us born before the dawn of the internet maybe some of us don’t get the appeal.