Richard Wyce - Cellist
The changing world of the 21st century.
August 21, 2022
Radio, Television, and now the Internet, have completely changed how human beings communicate with one another.
Are we overcrowding our brains with too much information and if so, how does that affect how we live?
For as long as I can remember I have been asking myself the question: how can I say something new to my fellow human beings that hasn’t been said time and time again before?
My father always told me that every word we say has been thought of and said before; so if that is true, how can we say something original? Perhaps the Arts are one answer? Traditionally Music, Painting and the Visual Arts, and Writing have always been the preferred methods, but with today’s mass media this has all somehow got jumbled up together, and is so accessible to the general public that we seem to have lost the ability to discern the difference between greatness and, at its best, mediocrity. Indeed much of what we see on the internet seems to have no standards, and the more nonsensical the more the masses seem to love it.
So the question is: How do we cut through all the mess of mass media to communicate something that has real meaning to the masses when technology has made life so complicated? Ironic when you consider that technology was supposed to make our lives simpler. It is also ironic that greatness has, more often than not, been born from hardship, and today when the world is split between the haves and the have nots, we have possibly more poverty than ever before.
So why is it that the poor and consequently often uneducated masses are so appreciative of media that is so clichéd and banal? It appears that in the world of 2022 popularity equals greatness, at least in the eyes of the general populace.
One of the main reasons for this apparent lack of ability in determining what is of true value and what is not, is how easy it is for the less ethical members of society to manipulate the masses through social media, and as it is even possible to find instructions on how to do this on the internet it is only a matter of course before many people become brainwashed by social media manipulators.
Here is what one blogger wrote about this:
“Summary. Social Media exploits our deeply ingrained learning mechanisms, allowing us to be brainwashed. The mechanisms have been known for a long time and exploited by the likes of Goebbels and Manson to great effect. Social Media has opened up these techniques to be used by any crackpot out there.Oct 9, 2020”
An example of how destructive this manipulation can be is that conspiracy theories, fake news, and malicious trolling have polarized populations across the globe. The other problem is that the internet is dominated by social media giants like Google and Facebook.
Manipulation of the masses is quite simply policy for these Goliaths of social media:
“Filtering based on our digital footprint and history, the internet world we interact with turns into a so-called “echo chamber”, which surrounds us with our views and opinions. By engaging in virtually any kind of activity on the net, we give corporations access to our eyes and ears — they analyse our perception of the world, our likes and dislikes. In return, they give us a virtual version of the world, tailored to us in such a way as to hold our attention as long as possible. Thus, our feeds present only the information which is most relevant to us.”
“Multiple studies have shown that unlimited use of social media causes stress, bad moods and negative mental health. Many people wake up in the morning and immediately check their Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter.Jun 27, 2018”
“Studies have shown that increased use of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok is leading to depression, anxiety, and loneliness. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only pushed more people to the platforms but has also caused people to spend unusual amounts of time cruising their feeds.May 26, 2021”
Now the question becomes: is it possible to use social media to influence society in a moral and responsible way?
Kubbco.com lists these thirteen positive effects of social media:
1. Building Relationships and Staying Connected
2. Finding Your Voice
3. Showing Empathy and Kindness
4. Offering Support
5. Better Communication
6. Spreading News
7. Building a Business
8. Establishing Authority
9. Driving Traffic
10. Enhancing the Customer Experience
11. Learning and Education
12. Motivating Young People
13. Creativity
Kubbco.com then goes on to say:
“The positive effects of social media are plentiful. According to a Harvard study, routine social media use is positively associated with social wellbeing, self-rated health, and mental health. We just need to be mindful users and keep a healthy perspective about social media’s role in our lives. Then we can use it to inspire, educate, show empathy, and become better communicators.”
Here is the enigma this presents. How do we influence people to be mindful and keep a healthy perspective when they have already made up their minds that there is nothing wrong with being closed minded?
Perhaps if we put our efforts into motivating and inspiring creativity in our youth we can create a positive influence and show the world how social media can be used for good. We must also learn to ignore the haters and show our younger audiences how to do this too.
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