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I hear arguments like this all the time, and it bothers me that such arguments miss that there is something that people like about social media - connecting wit

I hear arguments like this all the time, and it bothers me that such arguments miss that there is something that people like about social media - connecting with people. It clearly is worth it and that's been around since the beginning of the internet in some shape or form be it IRC, forums, usenet, whatever. There's innovations that constitute as modern "social media," like the feed or social search, but the core notion of using the internet to try to connect people is going to be a demand as long as there are people and there is an internet. The best we can possibly do is identify maladaptive innovations and try to provide some alternative, until one is dominant enough that "social media" is as dated as "forums."

mym1990 4y ago
There is something people like about cocaine as well, but it doesn't mean it should be prevalent in society. You know what a good way to connect with people is? To go out and talk to them. Join a club, chat with a coworker about something more than the morning standup, text or call a friend you haven't talked to in a while. I would be incredibly surprised if the majority of users see dramatic upticks in connectedness while engaging with FB/IG/Twitter. I love the concept of forums and little communities here and there, hell even the little post count and quirky username colors based on seniority meant something to me in those days. But as soon as those things are turned into mega money making machines, the incentives are no longer with the users.