So in 2010, I logged onto Facebook for the first time. Before long, I was excited to reunite with friends and classmates I haven’t heard from in years. Then, as the years dragged on, the excitement wore off and the misery began. Also, I read an article that begs the question. Is social media making us worse?
So this TechCrunch article says social media is changing, and not for the better. It uses a stat saying unhappier and lonelier people spend more time online, especially on social media. In fact, some argue it too much of it can lead to depression, even suicide. They say it is worse now than it was even five years ago. Or you could blame the social media algorithms.
Because these algorithms do their job keeping us on these sites as long as possible. The longer we’re on there, the more advertising. The more ads, the more profits. And the more profits, the more algorithms, because they measure the profits as success. See the cycle here? Also, there are more algorithms in control now than back in 2014.? Then again, that’s true for any IT support. But let’s look deeper. Back in the early-mid 2010s, most people, especially in IT service, would say social media made us happier. But now, we’re seeing it’s just not true.
Some would argue the world was a better place 5-10 years ago. People weren’t as divided then as they are now. I’m not sure. But since 2016, as the division grew, it added to the misery. For instance, I made a vow to fast off Facebook for the Lenten season, taking Sundays off. Sunday, yesterday, I posted something on Facebook wishing New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski a happy retirement. One man was so angry about it he not only questioned my integrity, but my humanity. Golly gee Wally, if we can’t even wish a football player a happy retirement, then we’re all in trouble. Is social media making us worse, instead of better?