We can say that social media is a modern version of the old primitive human need –to be and stay connected.But, from hunter-gatherers we turned into data-gatherers. No wonder our bodies and brains are suffering so much. Men isolating them in men’s caves and women in women’s caves with an array of gadgets at their disposal. Well, that’s how from industrial to social media revolution we prevent our brains from evolving further.
We are still cavemen
But instead of rubbing sticks and flint to make fire we are rubbing our hands as our social media followers ignite the fire within us.
The first one kept us warm. The second one keeps us distracted and serves no purpose at all. Thus Darwin’s theory of evolution is deeply shaken. There is no natural selection anymore. We became creatures of artificial selection. Social media selection! Our language stopped evolving as well. It’s brimming with abbreviations. Because WE DON’T HAVE time. Everything is customized so to be time-saving so as to spend more time on time-consuming activities. Like in this example:
TBH, IRL you can AMA. BTW I’ll BRB so as 2 help U.
Meaning: To Be Honest, In Real Life you can Ask Me Anything. By The Way I’ll Be Right Back to help you.
So, we will try to do it. Just sayin’…
If you find it “Well Played”, LUN! If it’s TLDR keep us posted so that we can avoid additional facepalms:)
Tailored to your brain
Many social media opponents fiercely advocate that all the apps are designed so as to develop an addiction. You’re constantly being noted about every single thing happening on social networks. So there is little to nothing you can do about it unless you decide to give it up completely, see your therapist or use it only in “emergencies”.
Some people think that they are happier, more successful both personally and professionally because they don’t use social media. Common objections to such claims are that Social media is one of the most important, life and death technology of the 21st century. Quitting on them is like riding to work in a carriage or communicating via a rotary dial phone.
But that’s not the case. They are unsavoury sort of entertainment especially when we know that the main figure of many of the most popular social media companies is an attention engineer. So they are practically engineering our attention.
Right?
The principles they employ are the same as those in casino gambling- to make the product (i.e. the social media)as addictive as possible.
The final result- they profit from your attention and personal data and you go bankrupt in terms of your deteriorated health, private, family, social and professional life. So, it’s not the most important technology of the 21st century. It’s just a type of entertainment among many others.
FACEBOOK -A NEW CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
Facebook is the most popular social media with the objective to collect “friends”. But whom are we collecting really? By connecting to others we disconnect from our true selves. Social media has changed the way in which people interact. Here’s just one example of what one careless click can provoke.
Namely, a social media incident in Germany happened when a girl accidentally invited more than 2000 people to her birthday party. All of them appeared. It was like a street protest with cops and media chasing around. The reason for this misunderstanding was that she forgot to adjust her Privacy settings and instead of inviting her closest friends she invited the whole planet! When a journalist asked people where they came from they said: FROM FACEBOOK!
So it’s become a capital of the majority of world population i.e. of the world.
EITHER MARRY SOCIAL MEDIA OR STAY A BACHELOR
Social media addiction is like any other addiction. Since addiction is the addiction and can’t be named differently. And, as defined by psychologists, it is a condition in which a person engages in the use of a substance or in a behaviour for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling stimulus to repeatedly pursue the behaviour despite detrimental consequences.
Also, there is scientific evidence that the addictive substances and behaviours have the same neurobiological trigger—they strongly activate brain pathways of reward and reinforcement, many of which involve the neurotransmitter dopamine.
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DOPAMINE, PLEASE
Dopamine plays important role in many brain and body functions but we will stick to the “addiction dopamine”.
It is often referred to as the “reward gene” or “reward chemical” because it is released when we enjoy a “rewarding” experiences
Things like eating your favourite food, having sex, watching best-loved movies, and unfortunately, the high from taking drugs.
So, when we have Low Dopamine levels, we crave for these experiences even though we will feel much worse after a short period of pleasure.
So, what’s the difference between an alcoholic and a social media addict?
As social media addict you are posting, blogging, counting likes and dislikes to oblivion, turning down the tags left unliked, choosing the perfect timing to post and so on.
As an alcoholic you are drinking, beer, wine, vodka or whatever. In both cases, you feel “high” after each post being liked or a glass of beer being “sipped” down your throat. Then you crave for more. Either for more attention or more beer. Hangover in alcoholics equals extreme fatigue after hours spent in front of whatever gadget.
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION FACTS
- 90% of the world population is using the internet – 78% being potential social media addicts
- Early behavioural disorders are developed too quickly.
- Studies have shown that on average 40% of children under the age of Four perfectly handle some if not all of the Mobile apps.
- Tree to four years old know how to operate these social media gadgets but have difficulty in fine motoric- holding a pen, grasping a ball etc.
- Young single females are addicted to social media more than other groups.
- 45% of people checking social media at the time of sleeping and roughly 10% of adolescent check their phones more than ten times per night.
- Teens who spend more than 4 hours a day on their phones are two times more likely to show depressive symptoms.
