Blog Post 3: Second Level Thinking

 Life right now is hectic. If you tried explaining what America was to someone when it was founded, they would be confused. Social media has evolved from a small thing to share pictures and messages to a corrupt system that can hurt people and is often used for corrupt purposes. Scams, catfishing, and stalking are happening on the Internet as we speak. Something used to connect someone from a state away is now used for sad and tragic things.

Social media is probably the best and worst invention, as it helps people stay connected but corrupts and consumes their lives. If it were just photos and sharing your life with friends, that would be fine, but there is a dark side. It can affect people's body image and even cause or help stalking in some cases. There is also proof that people's attention spans are getting shorter due to social media videos. Some people can’t focus unless two videos are going on, and don’t get me started on “Brain Rot.” “Brain Rot” refers to internet language or those deep into memes and internet culture and won’t stop talking about it.

I think social media connects to one of the theories we discussed. The theory is to Promote Tolerance, as I believe that we have become numb or tolerant, depending on how you see it. The other day, my class, which talks about the philosophy of death, was talking about a video they saw of someone passing and talking about it like it was normal. First off, it’s disgusting to know that someone passed on a film, and it was posted on Instagram. This app needs sensors to be modern and better. The fact that the people in my class saw nothing strange about that. It also tells how media and posts are so out of this world that we are numb. 

I also can see Promote Innovation as a theory that works, as people on the Internet value freedom of speech tremendously. Comments will be posted on rude videos, and others will defend the rude comments, saying they’re just using freedom of speech. This has caused a lot of hurt and damage to those who post. There are a few examples of people getting hate comments and those hate comments getting rewarded, such as Jake Novak, a TikTok employee who got hated on and quit due to that. 

A theory that I do not see on the Internet is Protect Dissent, as mob mentality is very strong on the Internet. Protect Dissent says the little guys are protected, and the mob can’t touch or affect them. As stated before, there have been incidents where heat has piled on and hurt a small creator.

To conclude, there are a few theories used in the Internet and social media right now, and there are a few theories that aren’t used. It’s interesting to compare and contrast what we use and what we don’t, and it helps us see how the Internet is used and the truth behind it all.