Under the Influence
Social media. Some would say that it’s even more addictive than the most addictive controlled substance. I find myself in a space where I both love what it can help me do – keep up with old friends, share what’s on my mind, and getting all the chisme – and despise what it can do – create constant FOMO, encourage me to buy stuff I don’t need, and suck me into an echo chamber. Like all things, social media has its place but I can’t help but shake the feeling that the people who hate it the most use it the most.
From denouncing Greek letter organizations to espousing the perils of social media for children, these apps are filled with influencers espousing the dangers of – influence. Yes. You read that correctly. People are using the biggest tool for idolatry and influence to discourage idolatry and influence and most of them start or end with, “Make sure you like and subscribe to my channel/page” or have merch you can purchase to help you break your addiction/idolatry – 😑.
All of this brings me back to something I keep thinking about – social media isn’t the problem. We’re the problem. Our need to be seen and heard at all times by as many people as possible has driven us to put all our thoughts in a public space. As the content gets created and the adulation increases, our dopamine levels rise and we continue to influence and be influenced by the one thing we all want at some point – validation. That’s what it boils down to – all of us, even the most arrived among us, want to be validated and social media allows that to happen in an instant.
I don’t have the solution but what I do know is that I’m going to post this on my social media in hopes that someone is influenced to question their thinking. I mean – that’s what it’s for, right?
Until next time…