Social media is destroying our humanity

[crimsonaudio]

I'm a proponent of social media in general, I think that when used with care it connects people in ways that are impossible in the 'real world' - over great distances, cultural divides, etc.

But social media can also allow the darkest parts of our hearts to be engaged, while muting the light parts, the good parts - especially if we're unaware and allow the algorithms to control us via our feeds.

A friend of mine shared the following posts, I'm sharing them here. They ring true to my core, I hope you feel the same way.

This is not how it's supposed to be...

 

[arthurdawg]

Coincidentally... Saw your thread when I was thinking we needed a "pernicious effects of social media" thread. But your title is more apt.

My serious concern is the amount of absolute terrible medical information passed around. And the absolute resistance to being exposed to the actual published data.

Now being reported that the school shooter in Colorado was likely radicalized by extreme social media. It cuts both ways.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

I don't know if it's true or not, but Mike Tyson is alleged to have said that social media has made people a little too comfortable with disrespecting others and not getting punched in the face for it. Real quote or not, this is 100% truth. Things have gotten so bad now, I actually yearn for the old days when disrespect was the worst of it. Now, it's pure hatred and people continue to be dehumanized at an alarming rate. Worst of all, it's not just kids. There are grown human beings who engage in the absolute worst behaviors online. Behaviors that would get your ass kicked in real life. Maybe that's what our society needs: less online interaction, more ass-beatings. It certainly can't make things worse.

 

[2003TIDE]

Once you realize a good portion of “information” out there is by bot accounts run by nation states then things make sense.

I stopped with Facebook right around the time it came out that they allowed Cambridge Analytica access to our data without notification and that was used to micro target voters in the 2016 election. Facebook is a cesspool now.

 

[arthurdawg]

Once you realize a good portion of “information” out there is by bot accounts run by nation states then things make sense.

I stopped with Facebook right around the time it came out that they allowed Cambridge Analytica access to our data without notification and that was used to micro target voters in the 2016 election. Facebook is a cesspool now.

This... 100%... So much disinformation is sown by Russian bots (and China / NK / other political actors) which is then credulously subsumed into domestic extremist groups* and spread all over social media. And it is amazing how stubborn people are about believing in memes.

I saw one the other day that said we don't need tetanus vaccines because tetanus can't be spread by wounds that are freely bleeding. That is absolutely untrue. A rusty nail with tetanus to spread is in no way obviated by letting the wound bleed! The person in question was absolutely unwilling to discuss the issue and told me I was wrong, despite me offering a couple of research papers disproving the assertion. I mean... I'm only an oncologist and not ID, but this person was a retired elementary teacher with no medical background at all.

* Liberal and conservative extremist groups/individuals are equal. Studies have largely proven both have equal proclivities to violence and represent similar percentages of their group. And... most conservatives and liberals and moderates, the vast majority, are not violent.

 

[Bazza]

If interested, here's a "Social Media" discussion thread I started back in 2019 which grew to 3 pages.....lot of comments from members on it.....

Social Media

Saw this post on FB today from a person who is heavily involved in photography - including Australian Cattle Dogs, like this: I will be deleting my FB account soon. This is my last post. I'm leaving FB because of their policies which allowed Cambridge Analytical to scrape my personal data...

www.tidefans.com

 

[2003TIDE]

* Liberal and conservative extremist groups/individuals are equal. Studies have largely proven both have equal proclivities to violence and represent similar percentages of their group. And... most conservatives and liberals and moderates, the vast majority, are not violent.

100% and people just tend to solo themselves off then you have Russian, NK, China, et al hitting both sides with disinformation that gets spread about in those groups to sow discontent.

The real thing that should be worrying people are the tech oligarchs cozying up to current administration with their bribes, I mean donations. I’m not sure what the answer is, but them doing that isn’t part of the answer.

What’s the old adage? If you aren’t paying for the product you are the product. The unbridled free market is going to manipulate you as much as possible (via anger) with algorithms to keep you engaged and extract as much “shareholder value” as possible with complete disregard for societal impacts.

Between this and AI y’all are watching late stage capitalism in action.

 

[some_al_fan]

It feels like people today are more radicalized than in the past, largely because of social media.
But I wonder if that “radicalization” will mostly lead to heated online battles rather than something as extreme as a civil war.

 

[2003TIDE]

It feels like people today are more radicalized than in the past, largely because of social media.
But I wonder if that “radicalization” will mostly lead to heated online battles rather than something as extreme as a civil war.

it is social media and 24hr news. Anger sells. It gets engagement which makes money. Everyone rants about “liberal” media, but end of the day they are mostly owned by a bunch of billionaires who tend to be conservative that are just driving engagement numbers to turn you into money.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

It feels like people today are more radicalized than in the past, largely because of social media.
But I wonder if that “radicalization” will mostly lead to heated online battles rather than something as extreme as a civil war.

I ask myself if the George Floyd riots would have happened without social media. Would the J6 riot have happened without social media? Would Charlie Kirk still be alive? The biggest question of all: can it get worse? I think yes. Look at the progression of my 3 examples. The first was ordinary riots/looting, but eventually we had this break out inside the Capital. I think we can agree, this was by far worse optics. And now we've got a political assassination on our hands. Where does this all go from here?

 

[Its On A Slab]

I don't know if it's true or not, but Mike Tyson is alleged to have said that social media has made people a little too comfortable with disrespecting others and not getting punched in the face for it. Real quote or not, this is 100% truth. Things have gotten so bad now, I actually yearn for the old days when disrespect was the worst of it. Now, it's pure hatred and people continue to be dehumanized at an alarming rate. Worst of all, it's not just kids. There are grown human beings who engage in the absolute worst behaviors online. Behaviors that would get your ass kicked in real life. Maybe that's what our society needs: less online interaction, more ass-beatings. It certainly can't make things worse.

People can be really brave sitting behind a keyboard and an anonymous name.

Back in the early days of msg boards (late 1990s), I encountered one such keyboard bully. He was just crafty enough to find personal information about my family, and try to get under my skin.

Then I learned that the guy was just a wimp. Overweight coward. I found out that he had a weight problem that he couldn't control. All I had to do was mock him for it and he cried like a school girl. All that bravado went out the window.

 

[colbysullivan]

Once you realize a good portion of “information” out there is by bot accounts run by nation states then things make sense.

I stopped with Facebook right around the time it came out that they allowed Cambridge Analytica access to our data without notification and that was used to micro target voters in the 2016 election. Facebook is a cesspool now.

As bad as Facebook is, it doesn't hold a candle to X/Twitter or TikTok

 

[some_al_fan]

I ask myself if the George Floyd riots would have happened without social media. Would the J6 riot have happened without social media?

Did we have social media in 1992?

1992 Los Angeles riots - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Would Charlie Kirk still be alive? The biggest question of all: can it get worse? I think yes. Look at the progression of my 3 examples. The first was ordinary riots/looting, but eventually we had this break out inside the Capital. I think we can agree, this was by far worse optics. And now we've got a political assassination on our hands. Where does this all go from here?

I was not aware of Charlie Kirk till yesterday, so I don’t know who to compare him to in the past.
Please feel free to find the equivalent from the past, since we've had many assassinations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assassinated_American_politicians

I am not sure that I see an increase in real-world violence due to social media. There is no data to indicate a rise in crime.
But there is definitely more hate due to social media.

 

[2003TIDE]

As bad as Facebook is, it doesn't hold a candle to X/Twitter or TikTok

I deleted Twitter when Musk took over and renamed it. I have TikTok, but only because the kids soccer academy posts links to videos for them to watch/emulate. Really wish they’d find another source for those…

 

[colbysullivan]

I deleted Twitter when Musk took over and renamed it. I have TikTok, but only because the kids soccer academy posts links to videos for them to watch/emulate. Really wish they’d find another source for those…

TikTok has literally cooked Gen Z's brains. The younger part of Gen Alpha might have a chance, but IDK.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

As bad as Facebook is, it doesn't hold a candle to X/Twitter or TikTok

Those three are the absolute worst.

I have less than 20 people on my FB and most are family and I only check in occasionally to see if anyone msg’d me.

I had to get off Twitter completely years ago.

I maybe tolerated Tik Tok for 5-10 mins.

Here and Reddit are the main places I chat with people.

Reddit can be awful too if your feed is set to ‘Popular’ but if it’s set to only your Subreddits that you sub to its not too bad.

But overall it would be better for humanity if Social Media was wiped out.

It breeds so much negativity and hate and people get addicted to it and can’t stop scrolling and engaging with it.

Way too many people are on there just wallering around in the muck and feeding off schadenfreude.

 

[colbysullivan]

Those three are the absolute worst.

I have less than 20 people on my FB and most are family and I only check in occasionally to see if anyone msg’d me.

I had to get off Twitter completely years ago.

I maybe tolerated Tik Tok for 5-10 mins.

Here and Reddit are the main to places I chat with people.

Reddit can be awful too if your feed is set to ‘Popular’ but if it’s set to only your Subreddit you sub to its not too bad.

But overall it would be better for humanity Social Media was wiped out.

It breeds so much negativity and hate and people get addicted to it and can’t stop scrolling and engaging with it.

Way too many people are on there just wallering around in the muck and feeding off schadenfreude.

I can't believe I forgot about Reddit, but then again I don't consider it social media. I consider it cancer.

 

[2003TIDE]

TikTok has literally cooked Gen Z's brains. The younger part of Gen Alpha might have a chance, but IDK.

Man….. last time I flew there was an empty seat next to me at the gate and a gen Z’er sat next to me. It was kind of amazing to watch her randomly scroll through 15 second TikTok’s for like 45 minutes. Has to be, I mean has to be terrible for brain development.

 

[Its On A Slab]

I deleted Twitter when Musk took over and renamed it. I have TikTok, but only because the kids soccer academy posts links to videos for them to watch/emulate. Really wish they’d find another source for those…

I got out of Twitter back in the late 2000s. I thought it was cool at first, until an acquantance's post woke me up at 3AM: "I'm having trouble finding something to eat."

Next morning, I deleted my account.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I can't believe I forgot about Reddit, but then again I don't consider it social media. I consider it cancer.

That’s how I looked at it for a long time.

I think Reddit made changes to their sorting tool about 10 years ago.

Really controversial comments would always be at the top of a thread and it was awful.

Now they are buried and closed unless you scroll all the way down and open them or unless you sort by controversial.

The place that’s absolutely cancer and almost always has been is 4-Chan/8-Chan or whatever it’s called now.

That is THE place where people say the most worst and awful things they would never say to another human IRL.