Is social media changing us or just exposing who we really are?

Internet of Humans
#1

I’m a big Gary Vaynerchuck fan. In case if you don’t know who he is, here’s his website: https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/

One of the things he said is what really resonates with me and I do believe it’s correct: social media isn’t changing us, it’s showing who we really are. His short opinion on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKG_T3VtbMw

The main premise for this is that for example in the past, people kept things about themselves in the dark, for example, that the liked nationalistic parties.

…people usually confined in their closest circle which party they support, and now, they share their opinions about it online on their social channels. By that, they share what they already believed in and have been believing in probably before social media became a thing.

The other issue is that this can be abused, as we’ve seen with the cambridge analytica scandals.

3 Likes
#2

I mostly agree, but it doesn’t explain everything.

Taken by itself, this statement leads us to the conclusion that large portions of humanity are awful. And I do not believe that.

While the internet does expose our less virtuous sides, it also helps to feed and grow them. That happens in several ways, for example:

  • algorithmic content feeds and the “attention grabbing” method of creating content reinforces the negative echo chamber
  • our habits and skills haven’t adapted to the lack of recognizable separation of the different communication spheres.
  • we also haven’t adapted to the fact that the internet keeps dredging up all our past sins and doesn’t let go of them. That makes it a lot harder to reinvent oneself, or change ones stance over time.
  • large numbers have completely separated the “this is where I do my political discussions” circle from the “these are my friends” ones. These circles only merge again once the political opinion has settled in such a way that communicating with friends who have a different opinion isn’t possible at all anymore.
4 Likes
#3

Who we really are: easily manipulated

2 Likes
#4

This is an old topic, but I think social networks are changing us

#5

Hi for all!

#6

I totally vibe with Gary Vaynerchuck’s perspective on this! We’re just more open about our thoughts now. It’s fascinating how it’s not really changing us, but more like giving us a platform to express what’s already there.

1 Like
#7

Just wanted to jump in and say that it’s like social media has become this giant mirror reflecting our thoughts and beliefs to the world. However, they definitely have the power to influence and sometimes even reshape our opinions, especially with the constant stream of information and perspectives. They’ve become this amazing platform for exchanging ideas, but we’ve got to approach it with a critical mindset. It’s easy to get caught up in the echo chambers and not question what we see. Getting a cheap instagram account, for instance, has made it super easy for everyone to share their values and political positions. But, it’s essential that this sharing is done responsibly, instead of stirring up unnecessary conflicts or scandals.