Social Media, a Place for Social Delusion

Hafiz Rahman S.
Founder of Eyerys

As humans, we love to think that our efforts can make a difference somewhere in the world. We like to believe that by being involved, we are improving others and ourselves. But on social media, things are somehow concealed. In the world where information is abundance, the tendency toward narcissism in students is up, and psychological impact of media and technology on children and young adults, are turning them into self-made celebrities where they are actors in their own fictionalized stories.

The internet is a massive network that consists of many other networks, all interwoven into one piece of ecosystem. Social media is a part of the internet where people have equal rights to share in real-time to others everywhere around the globe. The business that encompasses the human nature to communicate is getting more profitable as more and more people are using it.

On social media, children and many young people can fool themselves into thinking they have hundreds or thousands of "friends" and "followers”. From these people, they can collect massive comments/likes/favorites or anything else similar, on each of their posts, block anyone from their circle, poke others and do many other things in their inflated self-esteem.

"On social media, people can think they have real-life fans. But what is really happening is the mutual fanning of false love and false fame," said Hafiz.

Social networking services may affect your mental health by causing psychotic episodes and delusions. And as internet access becomes increasingly widespread, so do related psychopathologies such as internet addiction and delusions related to the technology and to virtual relationships.

"This can be traced back to the time when computer and console games are first invented, for example. Kids can pretend they are heroes and heroine doing something for the benefit of mankind. And when the time comes for them to turn off the device, they will return to the real world, realizing that they are only children playing in a small room in an apartment on a crowded neighborhood with their moms yelling them to have dinner. Techs can create an illusion where the minds swelled into thinking something they are not," he said.

As these young people realize that they can't change the world by "posting" something on social media, and knowing that the world is not as what they think it is, their inflated alter personality bubble inevitably burst because false pride can never be sustained. And not to mention that today, the internet (social media) is one of the most common way to transfer information for young people. Too much information about life can create an information overload to the young brains.

This is one of the reasons why young people are higher on drugs than ever, get drunk more than ever, smoke more than before, pierced their bodies and tattooed more, etc.. These are the "shortcuts" their minds did to keep the "confused" human stay sane. These things that can make them feel special, at least for a while, are just a small example of distractions people can do to themselves from the fact that they feel empty.

And not to mention that these lonely individuals are more vulnerable, making them an even easier targets for cyber-bullying and other predatory behavior.

What causes these problems in the first place? Is social network all to blame? Are the children and young adults are taking the most responsibility to restrain themselves? The answer is the nature of human beings. People love if they are listened; they like if they know they can change something/someone into a better being; they adore themselves when they are becoming the center of attentions; they like when their thoughts are accepted; they like to be special.

Social media is invented to aid people in communicating, and now it has been touted as the greatest marketing media next to television. With social media networks, people can keep up with their others they love, and it's not their intentions to create a world of illusions from the start. It's how our perspective that accepts/denies reality that made us that way.

"These psychopathologies are the side effects of an overdose digital reality," Hafiz continued. "And as a matter of fact, no matter how you see social media networks, it won't stop them from increasing their users' loyalty and to get more companies/brands to advertise."

The true power of social media is that it allows people to engage one another, to ask questions, to get opinions and to form social bonds. Posting updates on your social networks isn't social. It's a one-directional form of communicating and most people don't like it.

If you have followers and friends on social media, you should always try to engage into communication. If you don't, any sense of accomplishment is probably a delusion. And the more time you spend on these social media networks, the more time you actually spend alone.

The more time you spend on social media networks, the more time you actually spend alone.

"We are the online generation where information is abundance. How much of your time has been wasted talking to faceless others; sharing stuffs on the internet; and other things of inclusion that is the illusion of social media - when we would have better spent that time with our love ones in real life: staring deep into their living eyes, hearing their breath, touching their hands and scenting their smell?"

So for people who really want to change the world, and make a difference in their society, it's time for them to step away from those keyboards, monitors and touchscreens, and get their hands dirty.

"If you want to make a difference then start with the things close that are close to you, not halfway across the globe."

Despite technology has helped humans in more than a lot of ways, the traditional socialization and human interaction couldn't be substituted.