How Evil is Social Media?

[oldhippy]

13 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

For all of us old enough to remember life before the internet and social media, to me life was much better.

 

How many trillions of hours do people around the world waste every year on the internet when they could be outside enjoying life?

 

Social media has spurred all kinds of hatred groups.

 

The advent of the Like Button on FB, means people can be even lazier. They don't even have to comment any more.

 

I deleted 99% of all social media, have a couple life long friends and family.

 

Never post anything because no one cares.

 

I certainly enjoyed life much better prior to the internet and social media.

 

People would actually get off their <deleted> and go visit others.

 

The other thing is there is SO MUCH misinformation out there it is very dangerous.

 

Way to many scams from people trying to make money online.

 

 

True.

If only we could take advantage of modern technology, without the disadvantages.

In my backpacking days, it would cost me 10 NZ dollars to phone home for 1 minute.... but I had something to say, other then what I ate that day, or complain about the rain.

Of course, similar things  can be said about airplanes, cars, microwave ovens, etc.

Mankind just cannot keep up with technology.

 

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

99%

 

Unless TVF is regarded as social media, I do not go on any social media.

 

I just wish any that are bullied on it stop going on it rather than kill themselves.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

9 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

People would actually get off their <deleted> and go visit others.

Here's a story I tell everyone. Around '00 I got my first cell phone. It was a toy, a luxury item. Sometimes money would be tight, and I'd let the bill go. It was prepaid, no contract. I was buddies with one of my coworkers, and we did a lot of talking.

 

So during one of these absences of service, I was out doing yardwork and here he comes peeling around the corner, and jumping out of his car. I was like whoa, what happened? Some emergency? He says to me, "I just had to tell you something, but YOUR PHONE IS OFF!" Haha. I forgot what it was, something in the news or politics or something. So I told him, man, I should turn my phone off more often, to get you to come over!

 

It's since gotten a lot worse, this instant, ease of communication. People are spoiled by it, and allow it to substitute their real life relationships, which it cannot.

 

I'll tell you what though, there was a time when this communication did offer benefits in addition to real life, rather than replacing it. My first social media was as a kid around '86, when my grandpa got me a CB radio. I talked to all sorts of interesting people, truck drivers, utility workers, and this one really cool guy who was in a motorcycle accident, stuck in bed, telling me and others a ton of his stories on the road. Then around '90 was when we got our first computer, and I was dialing into bulletin boards, firing off messages, marveling at these connections we were making, even going to some of their meetups at pizza places. Back then, these were a niche, a hobbyist kind of thing, and so they acted as a filter allowing in only a special sort of people, the enthusiast who was passionate about it. It took effort and dedication. Then toward the end of the 90's was when everyone started getting on the Internet, and it became well, a bit too easy. The flood gates opened, and the rest is history.

[herfiehandbag]

I'm not sure that it is any more evil than any other form of communication - just more immediate!

 

Before electronic communication we had " poison pen letters"!

[ChipButty]

13 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

nah, if i wanted likes I would of wrote something anti Thailand..

It would have been deleted

[ChipButty]

I remember when we used to work all over the country back in the 60's if we got stuck go and buy an A to Z 

I also remember driving all the way to Stuttgart from Manchester had to sit down and plan the route OK get to the ferry them days people didn't speak English we where not far away and we had stopped at the service station on the autobahn I asked the police he said ok follow him, he took us right to the factory, Nice one, I think he liked me cause I was driving a BMW 

 

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

13 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

So where  does  your post addressed to me fit into your  definition of  categories  ?

Is it a  comment of opinion, informative, or in the realm of "more" ?

 

What? Of course it´s a comment of opinion, because this is a forum that serves such a purpose. The only thing I did was to kindly correct your error to place all medias online under the category social media. To do that I needed to quote your post for relevance, so other readers can be served the right facts.

Anyway, congratulations to your handle. I assume it was a well planned choice that you laid much thought into. ????

[Dumbastheycome]

21 minutes ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

What? Of course it´s a comment of opinion, because this is a forum that serves such a purpose. The only thing I did was to kindly correct your error to place all medias online under the category social media. To do that I needed to quote your post for relevance, so other readers can be served the right facts.

Anyway, congratulations to your handle. I assume it was a well planned choice that you laid much thought into. ????

Ok. It seems I stand  corrected and other readers are now relevantly factually  informed.

Thanks  for contemplating  my "handle". It was indeed a deliberate choice as was my "  signature "????

[OneMoreFarang]

I think the real problem are all those stupid, uneducated, ignorant people.

Social media can be beneficial to find long lost friends or new contacts or businesses nearby or far away, etc.

 

And it can be difficult if people publish everything they do and/or try to present an image from their perfect lives, etc. And then they need all those likes to feel better.

 

And of course there are those idiots who believe everything because it's printed or written on the internet. But for them social media is just a new media. Before they believed everything in the tabloids or on TV, etc.

[Kadilo]

After a few years on FB I realised it was just a platform for attention seeking individuals to spout rubbish and post pics to highlight how bored their life had become. I saw many family members in a different light to become hardly recognizable from the people I had grown up with. 
 

For many it gives them a feel good factor to think they have many virtual “friends” who they have never met, or likely to meet and for others it is an escape from real life and having to deal with the real issues life brings. 
 

Each to their own. I can’t say I’ve missed it one jot, in fact when I hear people say things like “did you see on Facebook where...........” it just makes me snigger. 
 

 

[placeholder]

On 11/15/2020 at 8:11 PM, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

No, he is not! You are not to include a forum in social media platforms.

For what it's worth, Wikipedia disagees with you.

The variety of evolving stand-alone and built-in social media services makes it challenging to define them.^[2] However, marketing and social media experts broadly agree that social media include the following 13 types of social media:^[32]

• blogs,
• business networks,
• collaborative projects,
• Enterprise social networking,
• forums,
• microblogs,
• photo sharing,
• products/services review,
• social bookmarking,
• social gaming,
• social networks,
• video sharing, and
• virtual worlds.^[3

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media}

[soalbundy]

It isn't just social media that has become dangerous. I like writing, it is a hobby so I contacted a penpal site, my idea being to get a small group, say 4 or 5 people from around the world to form a writing group per e mail, any email would have a CC so that each person could reply. Innocent enough but all I get are Nigerian type scam emails, probably from the same scam office. It has had the effect now that I just bin any email from anyone I don't know without reading them which is sad because there could be a few genuine messages, one can't tell the difference at first because they start off in an innocuous manner, I've almost become an expert at spotting them after the 2nd email even if there is no mention of a 'financial scheme', waste of time.

[tonray]

Social media is simply an amplification device for society's fractures. The evil is the society 

Edited November 17, 2020 by tonray

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Social media is simply an amplification device for society's fractures. The evil is the society 

very deep , but i don't disagree. 

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

7 hours ago, placeholder said:

For what it's worth, Wikipedia disagees with you.

The variety of evolving stand-alone and built-in social media services makes it challenging to define them.^[2] However, marketing and social media experts broadly agree that social media include the following 13 types of social media:^[32]

• blogs,
• business networks,
• collaborative projects,
• Enterprise social networking,
• forums,
• microblogs,
• photo sharing,
• products/services review,
• social bookmarking,
• social gaming,
• social networks,
• video sharing, and
• virtual worlds.^[3

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media}

Yes, Wikipedia! ???? The forum made by people for people. In other words, made by people who do not know the differens for people who do not care about the differens.

 

Let´s just say like this. Forum and discussion boards, as the name was when Internet was born, was alive long before Facebook, Twitter and for example Instagram. After they emerged, the term social media started to be widely used. Now after, the people that are using this for social media marketing agrees to name it same. Yes, fully understandable, due to that they will use them for the same reasons. However, that does not make it same.

[allanos]

Calling Social Media "evil" is a bit over the top.  It is evil when it is used for evil purposes.

 

In that latter category, I might, however, place the controlling nature of social media, and how we are manipulated by the so-called "Masters of the Universe", gearing their algorithms in search of ever-more advertising dollars - reasonably enough, perhaps, because they are commercial enterprises - but also to sway the general user, subtly, to their manipulative, often leftist, points of view.  Political correctness has now reached dizzying extremes, and it's not over by a long chalk.

 

I find social media both a blessing and a curse, and attempt to be judicious in my use of it.  Filtering it in the way I do, I find the benefits outweigh the downside. 

[oldhippy]

1 hour ago, allanos said:

Calling Social Media "evil" is a bit over the top.  It is evil when it is used for evil purposes.

 

In that latter category, I might, however, place the controlling nature of social media, and how we are manipulated by the so-called "Masters of the Universe", gearing their algorithms in search of ever-more advertising dollars - reasonably enough, perhaps, because they are commercial enterprises - but also to sway the general user, subtly, to their manipulative, often leftist, points of view.  Political correctness has now reached dizzying extremes, and it's not over by a long chalk.

 

I find social media both a blessing and a curse, and attempt to be judicious in my use of it.  Filtering it in the way I do, I find the benefits outweigh the downside. 

QUOTE: ....because they are commercial enterprises..... their manipulative, often leftist, points of view....

 

I will refrain from comments that could me have banned from this forum.

[RocketDog]

No mentioned yet is that users are monetized. I refuse to be a source of income. Simple as that. 

I have a VPN, disable tracking, and have multiple ad blockers on all my devices. 

 

[johnnybangkok]

4 hours ago, allanos said:

Calling Social Media "evil" is a bit over the top.  It is evil when it is used for evil purposes.

 

In that latter category, I might, however, place the controlling nature of social media, and how we are manipulated by the so-called "Masters of the Universe", gearing their algorithms in search of ever-more advertising dollars - reasonably enough, perhaps, because they are commercial enterprises - but also to sway the general user, subtly, to their manipulative, often leftist, points of view.  Political correctness has now reached dizzying extremes, and it's not over by a long chalk.

 

I find social media both a blessing and a curse, and attempt to be judicious in my use of it.  Filtering it in the way I do, I find the benefits outweigh the downside. 

As much as I agree with much of what you say, I’ll take point with “ often leftist points of view”. What many of the older generation see as  leftist, many more see as progressive. Society moves forward and an inclusive, caring society is what so many long for. No more stigma attached to race, creed, sexual orientation, gender or religion. Equality for all is the height  of social progression and is what most would consider the aimed for norm.

Social media provides an outlet to consider these as doable options but has been highjacked by the extremes who consider progression as something to fear and something to ridicule. 
Mankind has always moved forward. To argue differently is just not in our nature and I would argue to categories these important issues as leftist goes against the norm of how humans continually want to progress. 

[CorpusChristie]

11 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

As much as I agree with much of what you say, I’ll take point with “ often leftist points of view”. What many of the older generation see as  leftist, many more see as progressive. Society moves forward and an inclusive, caring society is what so many long for. No more stigma attached to race, creed, sexual orientation, gender or religion. Equality for all is the height  of social progression and is what most would consider the aimed for norm.

 

 

   Most of us would agree with that .

Some of us feel that we have reached the point of equality and now its going too far .

  People being given preferential treatment based on their gender and ethnicity  , which is the complete opposite of the original ideals where everyone is equal

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

On 11/16/2020 at 2:16 PM, Kadilo said:

I saw many family members in a different light to become hardly recognizable from the people I had grown up with. 

Indeed. My mom who was such a sweet, friendly lady, outgoing, who cherished and nurtured her relationships, was now online spreading gossip and starting family feuds. One of my buddies from grade school, shy and introverted, kind of nerdy, became an extreme narcissist. He started hitting the gym, designer clothes, and what really blew me away were the shirtless selfies. I never would've expected that from him. My mom saw him on there and was like "Have you seen what he's doing? He's naked!"

 

Hitting the gym for health is good, but not for this. I blame social media for the sudden rise in those "CrossFit" type of places, strenuous programs that promise quick results. Studies have shown they wreak havoc on the body, doing more harm than good. People need old fashioned exercise out in a park that is also, you know, more social.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

 

   Most of us would agree with that .

Some of us feel that we have reached the point of equality and now its going too far .

  People being given preferential treatment based on their gender and ethnicity  , which is the complete opposite of the original ideals where everyone is equal

While I agree with much that you wrote, to believe that Utopia is achievable is a mirage IMO.

One only has to read some of the posts on world news subforum to realise that many are not reluctant to use language contrary to what they preach in the search for a caring for all society.

[johnnybangkok]

14 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

 

   Most of us would agree with that .

Some of us feel that we have reached the point of equality and now its going too far .

  People being given preferential treatment based on their gender and ethnicity  , which is the complete opposite of the original ideals where everyone is equal

Again an old fashioned way of looking at it, that covers thinly veiled misogony and racism (not saying you directly). Although the playing field is certainly leveling (especially for women, LGBTQ and minorities) it has taken many, many years of pointing this out to get anywhere and the 'shaming' of perpetrators is by far been the most effective method. If it wasn't for positive/affirmitive action the business and political world would still be run by old, white men, gays would still be outcasts and ethnic discrimination would definately still be a thing (it still is of course).

If a company is 95% white and male in a city that has 50% females and 30% blacks then rightly so, questions need to be asked and if neccessary, positive/affirmitive action implimented. However what you are alluding to, which is positive discrimination wherein someone is chosen specifically for their skin colour or gender is still illegal in the UK (under the Equalities Act) and the US, despite being called upon by the UK police force wanting more ethnic recruits and major UK companies wishing to get more women into the boardroom.

Quote:- 'In the US in the 1960s the legacy of slavery and segregation came to the fore in national debate, the question of how it can be quickly overcome - after all, more educated Americans had the advantage when preparing their children for college and reproduced social divisions. In the United States, it took on a racial form. Affirmative actions were created to overcome this division, to allow more non-white children to go to universities. In terms of stimulating education for African Americans, this policy has been successful. https://www.forumdaily.com/en/pozitivnaya-diskriminaciya-v-ssha-chto-eto-takoe-i-zachem-tramp-ee-uprazdnyaet/

 

We have not 'reached the point of equality' and in fact are nowhere near it so until that time comes positive/affirmitive action is still very much needed but that does not neccessarily mean positive discrimination.

   

[johnnybangkok]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

While I agree with much that you wrote, to believe that Utopia is achievable is a mirage IMO.

One only has to read some of the posts on world news subforum to realise that many are not reluctant to use language contrary to what they preach in the search for a caring for all society.

No one expects Utopia. Just an improvement on what they currently have would be enough for many.

[englishoak]

22 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

No one expects Utopia. Just an improvement on what they currently have would be enough for many.

 

I disagree, people are always striving for a Utopia, mainly the one inside their head. Its part of the human condition and social media as youve said amplifies these traits  and self importance of the id, it will never be enough for many and the narcissists, egotists and unhappy are the ones most active on social media. Im sorry but many want half the world to see and know all about them,  what they are upto and usually also on the soapbox preaching what they want and increasingly becoming intolerant towards opposing or differing views, very often it ends up in a virtual mob attacking someone or some view... social media is mostly poison and the west is a good example of the timing since it got really going in the 90s, its all been going rapidly downhill ever since imo.. very unhealthy mentally too.. digital has created the perfect storm. With media, mobiles and selfies everyones a self promoting star and highly aware of being judged all the time by what they post or share. I doubt its mentally healthy over a lifetime.  We shall find out in due course. 

 

The social dilemma is a very good doc to see, its a fair overview and with those who actually designed these platforms with all the hooks, like buttons and tricks to appeal, keep people addicted and engaged as much of the time as possible. Worryingly these "tech experts" found even themselves hooked and sucked in and affected by their own innovations, most avoid using it now ... none let their kids indulge in it, some actually say sheepishly they knew what they were doing and the aim was indeed to addict as many as possible and never considered any downside... meaning they got a big fat wage and thats all they were bothered with at the time... again the ego. Now however a decade or so later when they stand back, very rich and able to see exactly the monster they have created, they are visibly disturbed, more than a couple looked more than a little bit scared.. why ? because they also have no answer or happy conclusion where it levels out.... not one... and thats the people who created these platforms.. no what ifs, no forward thinking just a goal to addict as many as possible and monitize it to the max. . try asking someone you know under 40 who uses it daily to stop for a week... youll get classic addict responses most of the time i bet.. Yes in a way social media is evil and as dangerous to many as any junkie needing their fix. 

 

The craze of course will pass, but doubt before its regulated and largely shut down, if it isnt then society will probably continue to eat itself until there is little left. Im glad I had my best years before the world went digital. 

[thaibeachlovers]

5 hours ago, englishoak said:

 

I disagree, people are always striving for a Utopia, mainly the one inside their head. Its part of the human condition and social media as youve said amplifies these traits  and self importance of the id, it will never be enough for many and the narcissists, egotists and unhappy are the ones most active on social media. Im sorry but many want half the world to see and know all about them,  what they are upto and usually also on the soapbox preaching what they want and increasingly becoming intolerant towards opposing or differing views, very often it ends up in a virtual mob attacking someone or some view... social media is mostly poison and the west is a good example of the timing since it got really going in the 90s, its all been going rapidly downhill ever since imo.. very unhealthy mentally too.. digital has created the perfect storm. With media, mobiles and selfies everyones a self promoting star and highly aware of being judged all the time by what they post or share. I doubt its mentally healthy over a lifetime.  We shall find out in due course. 

 

The social dilemma is a very good doc to see, its a fair overview and with those who actually designed these platforms with all the hooks, like buttons and tricks to appeal, keep people addicted and engaged as much of the time as possible. Worryingly these "tech experts" found even themselves hooked and sucked in and affected by their own innovations, most avoid using it now ... none let their kids indulge in it, some actually say sheepishly they knew what they were doing and the aim was indeed to addict as many as possible and never considered any downside... meaning they got a big fat wage and thats all they were bothered with at the time... again the ego. Now however a decade or so later when they stand back, very rich and able to see exactly the monster they have created, they are visibly disturbed, more than a couple looked more than a little bit scared.. why ? because they also have no answer or happy conclusion where it levels out.... not one... and thats the people who created these platforms.. no what ifs, no forward thinking just a goal to addict as many as possible and monitize it to the max. . try asking someone you know under 40 who uses it daily to stop for a week... youll get classic addict responses most of the time i bet.. Yes in a way social media is evil and as dangerous to many as any junkie needing their fix. 

 

The craze of course will pass, but doubt before its regulated and largely shut down, if it isnt then society will probably continue to eat itself until there is little left. Im glad I had my best years before the world went digital. 

IMO electronic medium per se is addictive. After tv came on the scene once sensible people lost their minds and watched the most rubbish programs, myself included. I could have used the time far better than watching garbage for the mind that existed only, IMO, to hook viewers so they could sell advertising space.

The problem became worse once interactive media came on line with the PC. I'd hate to work out how many thousands of hours I've wasted on forums, but unfortunately they are so addictive.

 

I managed to stop watching so much tv ( by not having my own tv connection ) and perhaps one day I'll also dump the internet and do something useful with my time, like reading a few books.

I can only hope.

[johnnybangkok]

15 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO electronic medium per se is addictive. After tv came on the scene once sensible people lost their minds and watched the most rubbish programs, myself included. I could have used the time far better than watching garbage for the mind that existed only, IMO, to hook viewers so they could sell advertising space.

The problem became worse once interactive media came on line with the PC. I'd hate to work out how many thousands of hours I've wasted on forums, but unfortunately they are so addictive.

 

I managed to stop watching so much tv ( by not having my own tv connection ) and perhaps one day I'll also dump the internet and do something useful with my time, like reading a few books.

I can only hope.

Agreed. It all follows a similar pattern and I'm sure they said the exact same things about radio.

Social media just follows a trend we have courted for hundereds of years; we want knowledge, we want to be entertained and we want to be distracted. Social media is just the latest version of this and therefore can not be deemed 'evil' 

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

Agreed. It all follows a similar pattern and I'm sure they said the exact same things about radio.

Social media just follows a trend we have courted for hundereds of years; we want knowledge, we want to be entertained and we want to be distracted. Social media is just the latest version of this and therefore can not be deemed 'evil' 

People didn't go on radio and abuse and bully the listeners.

 

Social media per se is not "evil", but apparently a lot of people that use it are, IMO, evil.

[StreetCowboy]

On 11/15/2020 at 5:52 PM, Tarteso said:

Here at home, there are enough technological equipment such as computers, iPhones, Ipad and TV for entertainment platforms ... but I do not use or need any social networks ... Maybe I am one of those guys who with the exception confirms the rule.

The turn of phrase is “the exception proves the rule” which is normally misinterpreted as “the exception is the proof of the rule” rather than “the exception proves to be the rule”; in other words, that the rule is useless because most cases are exceptions to it.

[Tarteso]

Just now, StreetCowboy said:

The turn of phrase is “the exception proves the rule” which is normally misinterpreted as “the exception is the proof of the rule” rather than “the exception proves to be the rule”; in other words, that the rule is useless because most cases are exceptions to it.

Thanks... English is not my first language... but imagine that you know what i meant. ????