Wednesday, July 22, 2020
The Ignored Toxicity on Social Media
After reading my assigned long read, “Why Silicon Valley Can’t Fix Itself” by Ben Tarnoff and Moira Weigel, I’ve realized some key things about social media. Aspects of human life are constantly changing, and life is very different from how it was 50 years ago. Now it’s hard for us to even imagine a world without social media because of how much we let it feed into our lives. It has created a very toxic space for some people ranging from famous creators, to everyday teenagers. Silicon Valley has realized how unhealthy technology has become, and stated, “they are trying to find healthier ways to make social media,” but no true change has been done. A lot of social media corporations just want to modify social media for their benefit, and not the consumers. The question of whether or not social media is good for society has been debated for years. Given that a lot of people have developed new insecurities from companies and creators gaining fame and money. The toxicity that continues to be built by false expectations, photoshop, and publicity. Today’s “influencers” are glorifying a fake perspective on their life, and even body. Occasionally, I find it hard to even feel pretty because some of the girls that are popular on Instagram or Tiktok. Social media has become an addiction to almost everyone whether it be TikTok, Youtube, Instagram, or even Twitter. Many find themselves scrolling for hours on accident, including myself. I need to break away from social media sometimes because of how degrading or distracting it can be. When makers were creating media, did they realize that it would get very popular worldwide, and create a somewhat toxic dynamic for anyone on it? Do you find yourself needing to leave the media from time to time? Can this unhealthy internet world ever be “fixed”?
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I responded to a blog post similar to this before. My argument is this: there is nothing toxic about social media; humans are just disgusting.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the digital world—and, in extension, social media—is nothing but a medium. What separates the digital world from previous mediums is the digital world's immediacy. I can open Twitter and read on dozens of major events in half an hour. Two hundred years ago, some people on Earth didn't know the United States existed, much less what was happening there. Second, anything that is "toxic" on social media existed before social media. People have always compared their bodies and financial status to others. The only difference is that social media and the Internet make sure you remember your "inferiority." The Internet amplifies human nature. To make the digital world a safe, friendly place for human beings would mean complete reformation of human ideals.
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ReplyDeleteI really don't know if the creators would've known how popular their apps would come to be, but I highly doubt they would've wanted it to become toxic. I personally don't believe that the apps themselves are bad, but the people on them. Just like you I will find myself feeling self conscious about my body or looks because of the expectations in today's world. I also do end up having to take a break and do something to keep my mind off of the drama and toxicity in people. I don't believe this problem will ever be fixed, because no matter what we do, there will always be people in this world who want to see others fail and unhappy. What I think we can do, is learn to be more happy with ourselves and realize that pictures are edited, and no matter what we try and do, there will always be toxic people so why worry about it? We just need to be content with ourselves and our lives
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