Social Media to Autocracy

 

For more than a decade, social media has shaped our society. The initial benefits were amazing: You could keep track of your friends and extended family, you could find groups of individuals who were interested in the same hobbies you were etc.  However, the downsides are becoming much more apparent these days:  Everyone wants a picture-perfect vacation, the tone of dialog in online discussions has become increasingly more hostile, and the negative psychological impact on people spending a lot of time online is terrible!

There are many studies on this, but here is one resource that may be helpful:

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05

Influencers, in particular, is a problem. Always showing only picture-perfect days and experiences creates the expectation that everyone can live a better life. Politically, that presents an interesting challenge: If a large part of the population feels like they are not doing well compared to their peers, they will demand change - even if those expectations are unrealistic. Don't get me wrong, there are people with legitimate complaints that require specific solutions. But for the ones that feel left out due to the perfect lives shown on social media, proposed solutions will largely be vague promises and finger pointing (most of which will include minority groups such as immigrants, government employees, a smaller religious group etc.)

Ultimately, handing over power to individuals who provide vague promises and encourages finger pointing has historically not turned out well. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past.