8 ms·

I've been thinking for a while now, as we've had social media for many years already. What good has it brought to society? Scams, addiction, FOMO, cancel cultur

I've been thinking for a while now, as we've had social media for many years already. What good has it brought to society? Scams, addiction, FOMO, cancel culture, gossip, missinformation, bullying, and the most self-centered generation in history, to name a few. All of it instantly and on a global scale. It's truly one the worst things that ever happened to society IMO.

spicymapotofu 3y ago
Many people who never could afford to call international family now speak and see each other daily. I also disagree that technology has made anyone more self-centered, but disagreeing with Socratic proclamations is as old as society itself.
- Retric 3y ago
  That started with IM/Skype style VOIP calling and has nothing to do with social media. From a utility standpoint, social media seems to have largely filled the same role email used to among distant family.
- totallywrong 3y ago
  > I also disagree that technology has made anyone more self-centered Really? Well I might be biased but all I see these days is people trying very, very hard to curate the perfect internet image of themselves.
- jjulius 3y ago
  >I also disagree that technology has made anyone more self-centered... Emphasis mine, as a reminder to be careful with absolutes. It's a bit of a stretch to suggest that nobody has become more self-centered due to social media.
- rcme 3y ago
  I saw a very interesting video of Michael Jackson filming himself in a mirror with one of the first handheld cameras. What was interesting about the video is that he's filming himself in the mirror and the first thing he says is "I'm not a narcissist." At the time, it was considered very narcissistic to film yourself, even for one of the world's biggest pop stars. When photos had limited distribution, their purpose was to remember what you had done in the past. Now, the purpose of photos is more to show off to others, so it's become the norm to include yourself in photos. I think it's fair to call this phenomenon self-centered in nature.
- WarOnPrivacy 3y ago
  > Many people who never could afford to call international family now speak and see each other daily. I get why electronic communication is a boon but I am sometimes confused by folks who prefer a public communication medium for their private comms.
- anonzzzies 3y ago
  Calling international for ‘free’ happened before social media; it was not as widespread but that would’ve eventually have happened without social media as the tech and products were already there quite some time before. I think we thank the mass uptake to smartphones more than social media.
stubybubs 3y ago
> the most self-centered generation in history Boomers? Also I'm not sure cancel culture is a bad thing. It's just negative branding for what is essentially the first time marginalized groups could have their voices heard. People who are used to writing op-eds and never hearing any criticism of their ideas are finally getting some negative feedback and they're super mad about it. You get absolutely unreal outrage about that, like this NYT opinion: > For all the tolerance and enlightenment that modern society claims, Americans are losing hold of a fundamental right as citizens of a free country: the right to speak their minds and voice their opinions in public without fear of being shamed or shunned. That is the first sentence in the piece. Unreal. There has never been a right to say what you want without being shamed or shunned. Shaming and shunning is part of free speech. Boycotts are part of free speech. That's how backwards this whole "cancel culture" outrage is. Better to call it accountability culture, or response culture, or feedback culture.
- disco_framework 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - stubybubs 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - simmerup 3y ago
      [flagged]
      - stubybubs 3y ago
        They pulled out Emmett Till being beaten to death and I'm being hyperbolic?
        disco_framework 3y ago
        [flagged]
olibhel 3y ago
Social media has absolute changed the way people live their lives in my country - India. Personally, it has made me lose interest in my favorite outdoor activity i.e. hiking because of too many people showing up. Ex: I won't set foot on a trail on weekends[0]. [0] https://i.imgur.com/7V4cd4Z.png https://i.imgur.com/7V4cd4Z.png
- johnchristopher 3y ago
  Er.. is everywhere like that ?
- data-ottawa 3y ago
  At least people are getting outside and doing things together. It’s the same in Ontario Canada, which can be frustrating. But I am curious what activities are now missing all those people.
- pengaru 3y ago
  Mmm, overpopulation. Will you be blaming social media for their overcrowded trains too? https://imgur.com/gallery/2Xo9x https://imgur.com/gallery/2Xo9x
  - disco_framework 3y ago
    The comment you're responding to refers to India as their country. I'm assuming they've witnessed the changes first hand in that case.
    - pengaru 3y ago
      Social media (or any other means of advertising, past or present) has affected these things everywhere. Even I complain about my inability to be alone on a trail in CA, or struggling to find campsites, occasionally shaking my fist at social media for it. But the linked images from India showing extreme overcrowding has far more to do with the population size than social media. When you have that many people, any little force generating focused interest is getting multiplied by a huge number.
waboremo 3y ago
None of those things are exclusive to social media, some of them aren't even bad (gossip), and the rest have equal positives (misinformation = abundant information, bullying = uplifting each other). I always question what intention does someone have painting social media in such broad strokes. Especially when we consider who actively gains from narrowing where information can be accessed.
- totallywrong 3y ago
  I see your point, the problem with social media is the exposure and scale. Kids these days can't fool around like we did, someone is always recording and you can go viral. I read not long ago about kids with severe anxiety in school due to the constant fear of the wrong photo or video going on social media. And the abundant information, is that really a good thing? How much of it is good? Remember the Trump election, the amount of outright lies thrown around and the level of polarization, with even family members unable to speak to each other. I'm not saying there's nothing good at all between the mud, but on the whole I think it's been a disaster.
  - disco_framework 3y ago
    I think there was a sweet spot right before major social media adoption where lines were more clearly drawn. By that I mean you could find information if you needed/wanted to but you were constantly bombarded with it in tones that spoke it with 100% confidence with the sole purpose of getting you to click on something.
- mejutoco 3y ago
  Information reduces uncertainty. A lot of talking or a lot of misinformation does not increase information but noise.
flangola7 3y ago
It is on average beneficial for LGBT+ kids, especially if their family or local culture are unsupportive or hostile.
- dmoose 3y ago
  I would have agreed with you until recently. It appears that much of the anti LGBT+ sentiment sweeping communities and legislatures is being driven via social media. This can easily swing the pendulum back to net negative.
2OEH8eoCRo0 3y ago
I think the larger it grows the worse it gets. Small group to talk to family or friends? Great! The local community? Begin noticing dbags and crazies, people nasty to each other National or larger? Forget about it, and now it's ratfucked by bad actors, shills, foreign intel, and other ilk. Moderation also gets worse because these large entities try to create blanket standards with such a wide variation of cultures involved.
- balder1991 3y ago
  That’s my perception too. Most social media started kinda good because there were mostly enthusiasts at first, then they descend into insanity. I feel for my mom, caught up in Facebook because most people her age is also there. It’s a mix of political trolls and ignorant people arguing over things they don’t know with all kinds of fallacies together in a sort of crowd crazy that I see nowhere else. I try to make her leave sometimes, as it is bad for her mental health, but she doesn’t listen to me and I admit it would cut her out from the only group she’s part of, which is family spread across the country.
skciva 3y ago
Your username is hilarious in context of this post. Sure there are a lot of horrible things that it's introduced. Replace social media with any other technology..what good have computers brought? What good has the automobile brought? It is all perspective and humans will use tools for good and bad. There is plenty of good in the world thanks to social media.
- marcosdumay 3y ago
  I don't think there is any other technology that compares with social networks on the rate of bad to good consequences and is still widely adopted. Maybe mass manufactured military-spread drugs like they used in WWII. But it's quite hard to quantify those. But, of course it created a bunch of good thing. Nothing that spreads that widely has only bad consequences. And yes, I like the good consequences quite a lot too. It's too bad most of the companies keeping those networks are adamant in destroying all the good value and keeping only the bad.
- totallywrong 3y ago
  I think any technology must be judged based on what it turns out to be long term. Computers and vehicles, for all their issues, have brought untold advancement and comfort to society. Social media.. well you tell me.
- anonzzzies 3y ago
  What are the long term good things social media brought that we did not have before and would not have without it? Let’s say a world where internet had exploded as it did but instead with many, not connected, forums, newsgroups and irc servers. Would we not have the same benefits without the crap part? What good part did social media do here?
AniseAbyss 3y ago
[dead]
stickfigure 3y ago
What on earth? I keep up with my (physically) distant friends through Facebook, people who I would have completely lost touch with if it weren't for social media. This reads like you trying to stand between me and my friends. If you don't like social media that's fine for you, but the rest of us quite like it and that's no business of yours. Butt out.
- totallywrong 3y ago
  [flagged]
- anonzzzies 3y ago
  You like social media but you take things written by random people on a forum as personal attacks?

spicymapotofu 3y ago

Many people who never could afford to call international family now speak and see each other daily. I also disagree that technology has made anyone more self-centered, but disagreeing with Socratic proclamations is as old as society itself.

Retric 3y ago
That started with IM/Skype style VOIP calling and has nothing to do with social media. From a utility standpoint, social media seems to have largely filled the same role email used to among distant family.
totallywrong 3y ago
> I also disagree that technology has made anyone more self-centered Really? Well I might be biased but all I see these days is people trying very, very hard to curate the perfect internet image of themselves.
jjulius 3y ago
>I also disagree that technology has made anyone more self-centered... Emphasis mine, as a reminder to be careful with absolutes. It's a bit of a stretch to suggest that nobody has become more self-centered due to social media.
rcme 3y ago
I saw a very interesting video of Michael Jackson filming himself in a mirror with one of the first handheld cameras. What was interesting about the video is that he's filming himself in the mirror and the first thing he says is "I'm not a narcissist." At the time, it was considered very narcissistic to film yourself, even for one of the world's biggest pop stars. When photos had limited distribution, their purpose was to remember what you had done in the past. Now, the purpose of photos is more to show off to others, so it's become the norm to include yourself in photos. I think it's fair to call this phenomenon self-centered in nature.
WarOnPrivacy 3y ago
> Many people who never could afford to call international family now speak and see each other daily. I get why electronic communication is a boon but I am sometimes confused by folks who prefer a public communication medium for their private comms.
anonzzzies 3y ago
Calling international for ‘free’ happened before social media; it was not as widespread but that would’ve eventually have happened without social media as the tech and products were already there quite some time before. I think we thank the mass uptake to smartphones more than social media.

stubybubs 3y ago

> the most self-centered generation in history Boomers? Also I'm not sure cancel culture is a bad thing. It's just negative branding for what is essentially the first time marginalized groups could have their voices heard. People who are used to writing op-eds and never hearing any criticism of their ideas are finally getting some negative feedback and they're super mad about it. You get absolutely unreal outrage about that, like this NYT opinion: > For all the tolerance and enlightenment that modern society claims, Americans are losing hold of a fundamental right as citizens of a free country: the right to speak their minds and voice their opinions in public without fear of being shamed or shunned. That is the first sentence in the piece. Unreal. There has never been a right to say what you want without being shamed or shunned. Shaming and shunning is part of free speech. Boycotts are part of free speech. That's how backwards this whole "cancel culture" outrage is. Better to call it accountability culture, or response culture, or feedback culture.

disco_framework 3y ago
[flagged]
- stubybubs 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - simmerup 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - stubybubs 3y ago
      They pulled out Emmett Till being beaten to death and I'm being hyperbolic?
      - disco_framework 3y ago
        [flagged]

olibhel 3y ago

Social media has absolute changed the way people live their lives in my country - India. Personally, it has made me lose interest in my favorite outdoor activity i.e. hiking because of too many people showing up. Ex: I won't set foot on a trail on weekends[0]. [0] https://i.imgur.com/7V4cd4Z.png https://i.imgur.com/7V4cd4Z.png

johnchristopher 3y ago
Er.. is everywhere like that ?
data-ottawa 3y ago
At least people are getting outside and doing things together. It’s the same in Ontario Canada, which can be frustrating. But I am curious what activities are now missing all those people.
pengaru 3y ago
Mmm, overpopulation. Will you be blaming social media for their overcrowded trains too? https://imgur.com/gallery/2Xo9x https://imgur.com/gallery/2Xo9x
- disco_framework 3y ago
  The comment you're responding to refers to India as their country. I'm assuming they've witnessed the changes first hand in that case.
  - pengaru 3y ago
    Social media (or any other means of advertising, past or present) has affected these things everywhere. Even I complain about my inability to be alone on a trail in CA, or struggling to find campsites, occasionally shaking my fist at social media for it. But the linked images from India showing extreme overcrowding has far more to do with the population size than social media. When you have that many people, any little force generating focused interest is getting multiplied by a huge number.

waboremo 3y ago

None of those things are exclusive to social media, some of them aren't even bad (gossip), and the rest have equal positives (misinformation = abundant information, bullying = uplifting each other). I always question what intention does someone have painting social media in such broad strokes. Especially when we consider who actively gains from narrowing where information can be accessed.

totallywrong 3y ago
I see your point, the problem with social media is the exposure and scale. Kids these days can't fool around like we did, someone is always recording and you can go viral. I read not long ago about kids with severe anxiety in school due to the constant fear of the wrong photo or video going on social media. And the abundant information, is that really a good thing? How much of it is good? Remember the Trump election, the amount of outright lies thrown around and the level of polarization, with even family members unable to speak to each other. I'm not saying there's nothing good at all between the mud, but on the whole I think it's been a disaster.
- disco_framework 3y ago
  I think there was a sweet spot right before major social media adoption where lines were more clearly drawn. By that I mean you could find information if you needed/wanted to but you were constantly bombarded with it in tones that spoke it with 100% confidence with the sole purpose of getting you to click on something.
mejutoco 3y ago
Information reduces uncertainty. A lot of talking or a lot of misinformation does not increase information but noise.

flangola7 3y ago

It is on average beneficial for LGBT+ kids, especially if their family or local culture are unsupportive or hostile.

dmoose 3y ago
I would have agreed with you until recently. It appears that much of the anti LGBT+ sentiment sweeping communities and legislatures is being driven via social media. This can easily swing the pendulum back to net negative.

2OEH8eoCRo0 3y ago

I think the larger it grows the worse it gets. Small group to talk to family or friends? Great! The local community? Begin noticing dbags and crazies, people nasty to each other National or larger? Forget about it, and now it's ratfucked by bad actors, shills, foreign intel, and other ilk. Moderation also gets worse because these large entities try to create blanket standards with such a wide variation of cultures involved.

balder1991 3y ago
That’s my perception too. Most social media started kinda good because there were mostly enthusiasts at first, then they descend into insanity. I feel for my mom, caught up in Facebook because most people her age is also there. It’s a mix of political trolls and ignorant people arguing over things they don’t know with all kinds of fallacies together in a sort of crowd crazy that I see nowhere else. I try to make her leave sometimes, as it is bad for her mental health, but she doesn’t listen to me and I admit it would cut her out from the only group she’s part of, which is family spread across the country.

skciva 3y ago

Your username is hilarious in context of this post. Sure there are a lot of horrible things that it's introduced. Replace social media with any other technology..what good have computers brought? What good has the automobile brought? It is all perspective and humans will use tools for good and bad. There is plenty of good in the world thanks to social media.

marcosdumay 3y ago
I don't think there is any other technology that compares with social networks on the rate of bad to good consequences and is still widely adopted. Maybe mass manufactured military-spread drugs like they used in WWII. But it's quite hard to quantify those. But, of course it created a bunch of good thing. Nothing that spreads that widely has only bad consequences. And yes, I like the good consequences quite a lot too. It's too bad most of the companies keeping those networks are adamant in destroying all the good value and keeping only the bad.
totallywrong 3y ago
I think any technology must be judged based on what it turns out to be long term. Computers and vehicles, for all their issues, have brought untold advancement and comfort to society. Social media.. well you tell me.
anonzzzies 3y ago
What are the long term good things social media brought that we did not have before and would not have without it? Let’s say a world where internet had exploded as it did but instead with many, not connected, forums, newsgroups and irc servers. Would we not have the same benefits without the crap part? What good part did social media do here?

AniseAbyss 3y ago

[dead]

stickfigure 3y ago

What on earth? I keep up with my (physically) distant friends through Facebook, people who I would have completely lost touch with if it weren't for social media. This reads like you trying to stand between me and my friends. If you don't like social media that's fine for you, but the rest of us quite like it and that's no business of yours. Butt out.

totallywrong 3y ago
[flagged]
anonzzzies 3y ago
You like social media but you take things written by random people on a forum as personal attacks?