Think about this: What happens when your decisions become dictated solely by their potential to earn you social credit with your peers? Instead of asking, “which would be more fun?” we ask “which would look cooler to my friends?” Herein lies the true evil of snapchat stories. When we change our decision-making processes in this way, we allow other to control us. Uh oh…
Who was at that concert because they were a true fan of the band, and who was there because they were a fan of what their friends might think? It’s not just in these big events either, this problem exists in the everyday life of someone who shares their experiences online. For those people, “What should I do today” becomes synonymous with “What does my audience want me to do today?”
Tim Connors
Very good point! In this age where creating and sharing ‘life moments’ is basically free, the pressure to ‘perform’ in the social sphere is higher and higher. The issue is further complicated by news feed algorithms promoting average content and ‘influencers’ presenting an idealized version of their supposedly authentic life. It’s getting harder to simply be yourself online, and the temptation to act as a ‘celebrity’ even greater.
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