Were you alive before social media? Someone recently asked, “Do you believe the world was better before social media?” The responses were mixed, and this appears to be a polarizing topic – here are the top-voted answers.
Yes, Pre-Smartphones
Someone said, “Pre-smartphone, yes. But social media has less to do with it; we had AOL Instant Messenger and small social media sites before smartphones. If you think about it differently, it’s as if you could only smoke cigarettes at one table in your own house. It would be a lot harder to get addicted to them. Before smartphones, you didn’t take social media with you everywhere. It’s mainly smartphones.”
No, it’s Helped More Than Hurt
“Social media have helped many people communicate, make friends, and know what they want. Social media platforms are not terrible; some people misuse them, but they have more good than bad,” another suggested.
Yes, it’s Damaging Our Kids
“As a mom of two daughters, some of the main things that I have noticed are a shorter attention span. Videos are quick, TikTok and Snapchat, so they do not have any patience. I also think it’s made younger kids hyper-critical of themselves.
Comparison Trap
“Now they have the internet to compare themselves with everyone. I noticed my daughters taking many pictures of themselves and picking apart everything. When I took a photo of myself, I had to wait until the role was finished then, send it out for processing, and then when I got it back, there might’ve been one or two that weren’t blurry and that I thought I looked decent in so I was happy,” one said.
No, We Know More Because of Social Media
“No,” claimed one. “We’re all far more aware of how messed up the world is thanks to social media, which is super stressful knowledge to carry but hasn’t made things worse, to my mind. We know about child slavery, unchecked brutal capitalism, and human rights abuses.”
“We see selfishness on display daily. But read some books from the 1800s or early 1900s. Take a little dig through history. The world was never better. It was just cloaked a bit better and easier to ignore.”
Yes, Short-Form Videos Need To Go
“Short-form videos need to disappear because of their dopamine addiction problems (TikTok and YT shorts). Twitter is a dumpster fire of echo chambers interrupted by short turf wars. Facebook is a breeding ground for conspiracy theories and political propaganda,” one shared.
Fostering Disconnection
“Instagram fosters lonely performative interaction and disconnection from people. This is an extension of the monetized attention cable news propaganda of the 90s. Unfortunately, it all started there and has gotten worse. The monetization of attention is destroying societal bonds and friendships.”
No, it’s Sparked Reform
“No,” another said. “So many profound things have been created, done, and shared via social media. Real-time updates on world events, sharing of corruption in offices, armies, police, etc. The gathering of people to protest and get reforms passed.”
“Of course, with these tools comes the capability to create much evil. It is up to the world to regulate and eliminate. And contain these horrible things, ideas, and people. After we can do that, we will indeed be able to get the most out of social media.”
Mixed Reviews
“We are in a constant tug-of-war between utopia and dystopia with technology. Social media makes people hate each other and argue more than ever. But, at the same time, it unites the world and lets people freely discuss and share issues that are going on that we wouldn’t otherwise know,” shared one.
“For example, without social media, we would have no idea about the protests in the Middle East right now (at least not to the extent of it). At the same time, we’re divided more than ever and full of misinformation. It’s a daily battle between whether social media is great or horrible.”
Feeling Divided
“Maybe? I couldn’t imagine myself without the joy and friendships I’ve built from talking to people on social media. Obviously, social media has detrimental effects on the youth, but to say the world was overall better? I’m honestly divided,” another confessed.
16 Bad Things People Remember About the 90s
Times have changed a lot in the last few years. The 90s feel as if it was a different lifetime. Recently someone asked users in a popular online forum, “What was bad about the 90s?” Here are some of the most popular answers.
16 Bad Things People Remember About the 90s
10 Things People Like Less Since They Have Gotten Older
As you age, things start to become annoying. Is there anything that you used to enjoy, but the older you get, you notice yourself liking it less and less? You’re not alone. Someone recently asked, “What are you starting to like LESS the older you get?” And here are the top-voted answers.
10 Things People Like Less Since They Have Gotten Older
12 Awesome Things That Will Forever and Always Be Awesome
It’s not possible to have too much awesome in your life. Sometimes the negativity gets overwhelming, and you need to turn off the news and consume some ‘feel good’ content instead.
Recently, a Reddit user must’ve been feeling the same way when they asked, “What is awesome, has always been awesome, and will forever be awesome?” And here are the top-voted responses.
12 Awesome Things That Will Forever and Always Be Awesome
12 Things People Can Never Fully Understand Without Going Through
While taking my daily scroll, I came across the question, “What do people not understand or not fully understand unless they’ve been through it and experienced it?” The internet responded to deliver this authentic list of circumstances you’ll never fully understand without experiencing it for yourself.
12 Things People Can Never Fully Understand Without Going Through
10 Jokes That Are Starting To Get Real Old
Nothing is worse than when a joke has run its course, and people continue to beat a dead horse. After someone asked, “What joke is starting to get old now?” The internet responded to deliver this list of jokes that are no longer funny.
10 Jokes That Are Starting To Get Real Old
Inspired by this thread – photos for illustrative purposes only.
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