Do you find that social media makes you conform, or do you use it for self-expression? Do you think it discourages independent thought, or is it a way to align to others with shared values? We realize these aren't binaries -- we're curious to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Married over thirty years to a woman that had no idea about computers till covid and now she sits in bed with the tv on, the computer open, and the phone in her hand. It's hard to believe the changes.
Very good topic. The important message about social media is people you see having a better life than you do does not mean they are always better, above the law, or healthier. These posts may not always be fake. In my opinion, Social Media can create conformity because it is how our psychology reacts to how we see others as having a better standard of life. Getting a certain amount of clout on social media is worthless. Focusing on a closer relationship is better in our relationship. We should educate Gen Z on how to set healthy social media boundaries. We should also educate them on why it is important to be their good role model rather than relying on a popularity contest. It is similar to the high school popularity video in the past.
This video makes me realize what a contrarian I am. And it's not to say I've never tried to conform, nor that I'm impervious to it, but yall would have me bent over backwards to pick the wrong choice on a test because a bunch of other folks did. Ain't nobody messing up my grades but me 😂
I actually left social media because of the way it was shaping my views and kind of not allowing me to think for myself and never showing me the opposite side of things because of the algorithm feeding me what I already believed.
I can't even tell you how extremely thankful I am that the internet was just beginning/social media wasn't yet a thing when I was in highschool! I can't imagine having all my cringe memories on video for all the world to see
Groupthink goes back to the 1950s, the key is leverage. If High School students shared their grades on homework, and it was positive to get better grades, then social media might be a force for good. Instead most users are choosing unimportant factors, the clothes you like or the music you like or ... . If you're using a tool that defines you identity in terms of things that doesn't contribute to your long-term well being, you should stop using that tool. (Yes, I'm talking about you Meta).
Wanting to fit in or to assimilate is probably a fundamental human trait, but voluntary hyper-conformism is a free and active choice. So if a person living in a full-fledged democracy decides to emulate someone else that they admire, or just to ride some fad, they do have the agency to do so. I guess some people (especially younger females) have a weak sense of self and seek fulfillment by copying others. Nothing wrong with that. 🤷
One of my roommates played a prank where he put out a bowl of ghost pepper chips in the common area. I'm not sure why I kept making the same mistake of trying one for several weeks straight. I knew what they were and the consequences of trying one, but something in me urged me to keep doing it anyway
Very interesting commentary! 3:14 Oh The irony We seek to separate ouselves from our parents and develop 'our own' identity that better 'aligns with our friends' .... As in, CONFORM to friends ideas and hive mind identity And they think that is developing their own identity Sad!
The Internet, post mass adoption in the mid 2000's, feels like a conformity machine. All I have to back that up is experience, so maybe this is just observation bias. But when I regularly see content that contains technically incorrect information (exaggerated example, 2+2=5) get more likes than content that is technically correct, I sometimes wonder if anything matters more then conformity. This is happening in topics from science to art, games to celebrities. I do wonder if the correlation of the evolution of algorithms over this period might be a partial cause of the increasing sense of conformity online. Web search engines, for example, have gone from trying to just find technically relevant data to your search to personally relevant data. If you do a web search on Google while at home, at work, and at a library, you just might get different results - possibly conflicting results. There are studies on these phenomena, but I am not aware of any strong conclusions of cause and effect. Maybe in another 10-20 years we can look back on this as some sort of adolescent period of development of the Internet.
Do you find that social media makes you conform, or do you use it for self-expression? Do you think it discourages independent thought, or is it a way to align to others with shared values? We realize these aren't binaries -- we're curious to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Married over thirty years to a woman that had no idea about computers till covid and now she sits in bed with the tv on, the computer open, and the phone in her hand. It's hard to believe the changes.
Sounds like she's an expert multi-tasker! But yeah, Covid got a lot of folks using their screens more than ever before.
Tragic
Probably also oblivious that she's a hive mind conformist
Very good topic.
The important message about social media is people you see having a better life than you do does not mean they are always better, above the law, or healthier. These posts may not always be fake. In my opinion, Social Media can create conformity because it is how our psychology reacts to how we see others as having a better standard of life. Getting a certain amount of clout on social media is worthless. Focusing on a closer relationship is better in our relationship.
We should educate Gen Z on how to set healthy social media boundaries. We should also educate them on why it is important to be their good role model rather than relying on a popularity contest. It is similar to the high school popularity video in the past.
Thanks for sharing these insights and for watching our video!!
This video makes me realize what a contrarian I am. And it's not to say I've never tried to conform, nor that I'm impervious to it, but yall would have me bent over backwards to pick the wrong choice on a test because a bunch of other folks did. Ain't nobody messing up my grades but me 😂
That’s a lie. Everyone conforms in some way shape or form. You’re not immune to it no matter how hard you try to convince yourself you don’t.
I actually left social media because of the way it was shaping my views and kind of not allowing me to think for myself and never showing me the opposite side of things because of the algorithm feeding me what I already believed.
Good decision 👍
I can't even tell you how extremely thankful I am that the internet was just beginning/social media wasn't yet a thing when I was in highschool! I can't imagine having all my cringe memories on video for all the world to see
Groupthink goes back to the 1950s, the key is leverage. If High School students shared their grades on homework, and it was positive to get better grades, then social media might be a force for good. Instead most users are choosing unimportant factors, the clothes you like or the music you like or ... . If you're using a tool that defines you identity in terms of things that doesn't contribute to your long-term well being, you should stop using that tool. (Yes, I'm talking about you Meta).
Great point. Thanks for watching and sharing your perspective!
Wanting to fit in or to assimilate is probably a fundamental human trait, but voluntary hyper-conformism is a free and active choice. So if a person living in a full-fledged democracy decides to emulate someone else that they admire, or just to ride some fad, they do have the agency to do so.
I guess some people (especially younger females) have a weak sense of self and seek fulfillment by copying others. Nothing wrong with that. 🤷
as a ND NT's have always been more or less all the same
One of my roommates played a prank where he put out a bowl of ghost pepper chips in the common area. I'm not sure why I kept making the same mistake of trying one for several weeks straight. I knew what they were and the consequences of trying one, but something in me urged me to keep doing it anyway
Very interesting commentary!
3:14 Oh The irony
We seek to separate ouselves from our parents and develop 'our own' identity that better 'aligns with our friends' ....
As in, CONFORM to friends ideas and hive mind identity
And they think that is developing their own identity
Sad!
there's a story about The Sneeches...😂
The Internet, post mass adoption in the mid 2000's, feels like a conformity machine. All I have to back that up is experience, so maybe this is just observation bias. But when I regularly see content that contains technically incorrect information (exaggerated example, 2+2=5) get more likes than content that is technically correct, I sometimes wonder if anything matters more then conformity. This is happening in topics from science to art, games to celebrities.
I do wonder if the correlation of the evolution of algorithms over this period might be a partial cause of the increasing sense of conformity online. Web search engines, for example, have gone from trying to just find technically relevant data to your search to personally relevant data. If you do a web search on Google while at home, at work, and at a library, you just might get different results - possibly conflicting results. There are studies on these phenomena, but I am not aware of any strong conclusions of cause and effect. Maybe in another 10-20 years we can look back on this as some sort of adolescent period of development of the Internet.
The beginning of the Borg Collective?