A new book argues that social media does more harm than good and we might be happier and healthier using it less.
    • Sturgist@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      11 days ago

      Suffering from asthma? 9/10 Doctors recommend menthol cigarettes! Peppermint fresh puts the pep in your step!

    • gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      30·
      15 days ago

      nope. boomers still behave the same way on the internet when they’re using their real name. it’s really more the screen/lack of physicality that seems to do it.

    • ilillilillilillililli@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      14 days ago

      Not entirely. Just look at people when they get “car brain.” Surround an otherwise decent person with a few thousand pounds of steel, and they can become a complete, egotistical asshole. There’s obviously some anonymity to driving, but most drivers understand they’re identifiable.

  • Gsus4@mander.xyzEnglish
    3·
    14 days ago

    What I’ve learned over time is that it brings out the worst in us, because unlike a live meeting, where there is a danger that you may be ostracized or beaten up, online people have a much less controlled environment for speech. Even the effort of showing up or printing/broadcasting an opinion was reduced to 0.

    And since the user isn’t forced to pass a driving exam for how to behave and different communities have different rules, values and objectives, it is easy to feel a contrast without traveling very far, which triggers polarization/victimization rather than an instinct to adapt and grow, it generates a crisis of trust.

    e.g. normies wouldn’t just stumble into an anarchist meeting in real life and start throwing up a fuss, but online it can happen all the time without censorship moderation.

    And all of this before even considering hostile actors that generate, propagate, amplify and target misinformation and disinformation.