Fear, Ignorance, and Depression – Oh My!
Forget lions, tigers, and bears. The danger looming for today’s society is more from the pervasive influence of fear, ignorance, and depression. This week’s articles discussed how the rapid advancement of AI and the ever-present nature of social media have profoundly exacerbated societal disconnection, distrust, and injustice. The articles highlight that while the internet and social media once promised to foster greater connection, they contributed to division, fear, and a loss of real-world relationships. Behavioral scientist Clarissa Silva states, “Social media has been linked to higher levels of loneliness, envy, anxiety, narcissism, and decreased social skills.”[1] The present generation appears to be the most connected yet the loneliest in history. We were created for community, and social media apps and AI chatbots are proving shallow substitutes. This week’s articles covered the gamut of impact on society, from politics to childhood.
The Role of Social Media in Injustice and Political Dysfunction
Social media has significantly altered the way justice and political discourse operate. Instead of serving as platforms for meaningful engagement, they have become arenas where division and hostility thrive. According to Jonathan Haidt, there are three primary ways social media has contributed to political dysfunction and injustice: the empowerment of trolls and provocateurs, the amplification of political extremes, and the deputization of users as judges.[2]
The cumulative effect of these trends is a culture of fear. People withdraw rather than risk being targeted online. Cancel culture has made many hesitant to speak openly for fear of reputational destruction. Even those who “go viral” may experience fleeting visibility but lack meaningful human connection. Instead of fostering real relationships, social media has become an arena for performance and judgment rather than genuine engagement.
AI: A Substitute for Community?
A particularly alarming development is the increasing role of AI in human interaction. AI-driven chatbots are being designed to serve as digital companions. These chatbots will be introduced to serve as conversational buddies and guides – more appealing and easier to talk to those on dating sites.[3] AI is aiming to be a substitute for a friend. While these chatbots may provide convenience, they can never replace real friendships. Humans are created for community, for deep and meaningful relationships, something AI cannot provide.
Perhaps even more concerning is how AI and social media target children and teenagers. Despite efforts to remove harmful content, tech companies continue to design platforms that hook young users more deeply. The addictive nature of these platforms threatens healthy development, further isolating young people from real-world experiences and interactions. Rather than turning to family elders and community elders, identity building is curated online. Validation is now calculable through ‘likes,’ and when they are lacking, self-worth suffers.
Solutions: Reforms and Social Norms for a Healthier Digital Future
Despite the bleak outlook, Haidt claims some steps can be taken to mitigate the negative effects of AI and social media. In ‘End the Phone-Based Childhood Now,’ Haidt suggests four proposed norms that aim to foster healthier interactions: no smartphones before high school, no social media before 16, phone-free schools, and more independence, free play, and responsibility in the real world.[4] Rather than gaining validation from ‘likes’ on social media, having face-to-face time in play and conversations is a much healthier way of gaining affirmation. While I agree with these suggestions, I wonder how equipped parents are to implement them. Peer pressure is a real challenge. I’d love to hear more about how we can properly train our children to use phones, social media, and AI in age-appropriate ways. I suppose one additional norm I would add to the list is continued conversations about phones, social media, and AI among parents and children. We must talk and engage rather than throw our hands up or cower in fear.
The Loss of Empathy and Ancient Wisdom
One of the most significant casualties of the digital age is the erosion of empathy. Online interactions strip away facial expressions, tone, and body language, making it easier to dehumanize others. This contributes to “moral grandstanding,” where individuals engage in public shaming to boost their own status rather than seeking genuine moral engagement.[5]
Furthermore, our dependence on digital interactions has severed us from the wisdom of past generations. Social media prioritizes fleeting trends over timeless truths. Many young people miss the mentorship and insights passed down through family and community relationships. I think of my great-grandmother, whose words still resonate with me. Even though she wouldn’t recognize many modern challenges, her wisdom remains applicable. Sadly, in a world dominated by AI and digital distraction, fewer young people will have similar experiences. “We are cut off from one another and from the past.”[6]
Conclusion
While AI and social media offer convenience, they also deepen disconnection, foster distrust, and perpetuate injustice. I am not on the anti-technology bandwagon, but I do see the need for caution and education. I want to train my children to use them while they are still under my supervision. I believe that much of the answer lies in re-establishing time in community. Again, there is no substitute – as we have learned.
[1] Silva, Clarissa, “Social Media’s Impact on Self-Esteem,” Huff Post (blog), February 22, 2017, https://wwww.huffpost.com/entry/social-medias-impact-on-self-esteem_b_58ade038e4b0d818c4f0a4e4?ec_carp=8674666493530318849
[2] Haidt, Johnathan “Why the Past Ten Years have been Uniquely Stupid” The Atlantic; 2022; 9https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/
[3] Haidt, Jonathan, Eric Schmidt “AI Is About to Make Social Media Much More Toxic” The Atlantic (blog), May 5, 2023; https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/05/generative-ai-social-media-integration-dangers-disinformation-addiction/673940/
[4] Jonathan Haidt, “End the Phone-Based Childhood Now,” The Atlantic (blog), March 13, 2024, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/.
[5] Jonathan Haidt and Eric Schmidt, “Social Media is Warping Democracy,” The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/12/social-media-democracy/600763/
[6] Jonathan Haidt. “Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid.” The Atlantic, April 11, 2022. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/.
About the Author
Mika Harry
10 responses to “Fear, Ignorance, and Depression – Oh My!”
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Hey Mika,
Something stood out to me as I read your post: the development of AI-chatbots as substitutes for embodied friends. The thought that captured my attention was that my friends sometimes need something from me, or I need something from them, and part of the beauty of the friendship is that it is bi-directionally sacrificial. There is love.
I simply don’t see this in an AI chatbot. They’re built to be products and generate income for a company, tailored to meet the needs of the customer. It seems to me that there can never be love in this model, and therefore these are not friendships. They’re client services.
Joff, I completely agree with you. “Client services” are no substitute for being seen and known. Friends know the good and the bad and sit with you in both. A chatbot that is geared towards agreeing with you all the time and providing only what you want (not what you may need) is shallow. My most valuable relationships are those who go beneath the surface and sit with you even without talking. Bots can’t ever replace that.
Mika,
As I read through your post, I kept returning to your statement, “Social media prioritizes fleeting trends over timeless truths.” This is even more interesting in the context of generational knowledge. Thank you for that insightful point.
As we consider empowering parents to address the use of social media, what are your thoughts on banning them from schools? It seems as though this may be an avenue to assist in breaking a cycle and allow parents to follow suit.
Darren, that is a great question. In order to ban social media from schools, they would have to ban phones. I don’t see how they could regulate what is on phones. I do know that many schools in my area have instituted a phone-free school day this year. It has been a struggle to enforce as students are creative in getting around it. For example, students started bringing old phones or buying used ones to turn in at the beginning of the day so that they could sneak and use their current phones. Teachers end up policing phone use rather than giving instruction. However, little valuable instruction can take place while students are on their phones. It is going to take some real creativity to solve.
Mika,
My father was an educator in the public school system for over thirty years. In the late 1980s, he participated in his school’s first rollout of computers and programming classes. I read your statement about caution and education being essential levers. Is there an opportunity in the education system to help guide this process? Do you have ideas on how this could be rolled out in an educational format?
Michael, that is a great question. I do think there is an opportunity for schools to use platforms similar to home economics or sex education classes to teach more about social media, AI, and the effects on development, relationships, and learning. Additionally, providing parents with seminars, webinars, or resources could be helpful. Again, this will require some creativity. However, equipping both students and parents with awareness would go a long way.
Mika, this is well written.
Your comment on turning to elders got me thinking about the oversights (a polite word for mistakes) I made with my daughters. We prioritized travel when living overseas. My older daughter turned 13 while on a short trip to the Maldives, a truly remarkable location. Within 60 minutes of our return home, I had a request for a new social media account waiting for my approval. I thought we had exercised the appropriate cautions by not letting her lie about her age and have an account at 11, so I gave my consent. I wish I could walk that one back. In one hour, we exchanged interpersonal interaction in an unbelievable location for two dimensional manipulation.
It feels like society needs a 12 step program for social media addiction. It is one thing to recognize the dangers of time, perspective, and ego. It is another thing to put down the phone. We have a national restriction on purchasing alcohol under the age of 21. I don’t see the resolve to do likewise with this present danger. It makes me both happy and sad to see one of our nineth graders at church unable to look up a bible passage on her phone because her parents won’t let her go down the rabbit hole.
Rich, I said “yes” out loud when I read your comment about needing a 12-step program for phone/social media addiction. The dopamine reaction is the same with getting ‘likes’ and validation as it is with a drug hit. Learning how to use appropriately is valuable. My daughter, 16, still has intense restrictions on her phone. I am releasing items to her one at a time and doing my best to train her to use them while she is still in my house. However, it is a real battle and can be confusing on what is age appropriate. Parents need support and encouragement to walk this road.
Yet again, I am so impressed with your writing skills (come on, you even have headings)! As I long to one day write like you can, I appreciate your clear comments on AI substituting for community. I’ve had some deep ontological drownings when seeing AI’s personification. There was a trial done with AI standing in as priest in confessional booths. The positive reviews were astounding. I question what even is personal connection. What is the soul and spirit? Who are we? If a computer generated response can have similar effects on us as a living human, what does this even mean for the Spirit in us? I know there is a depth and connection on a human level that far exceeds AI, but that gap is blurry. In the shallowing interactions we have, our society because less human.
I mentor a teen who has self- diagnosed as autistic. I understand this evaluation because I am in the uncomfortable interaction that sounds more like social media comments than face to face discussion. I do not think he has autism, but is the result of an almost totally online life. He even attends school online. He is in a three year on-line relationship in which they have only seen face to face once. They will have their phones on for hours together as they go about their lives. The partner will often come along with us on our times together. This is the fascinating reality of many of the youth now a days.
I’m still unsure of what to make of it all.
Jess, thank you for the kind words. I did headings this time because of Dr. Clark’s feedback on needing “sign posts.” I’m trying to improve each week.
I don’t think the story of your mentee is isolated. I would assume that teens living most of their lives online is increasing expoentially. I believe that is detrimental to development and relationships. And you are right, if we aren’t connecting to soul and spirit, then who are we?
This makes me think about online dating. For those who meet and begin a relationship solely online and wait a considerable amount of time before meeting in person, it can be a shock when the person they meet isn’t who they thought. It can be “off,” awkward, or downright creepy. Without face-to-face interaction, you can’t truly know someone. You can even build up a person in your mind to be a certain way, and then once you see their mannerisms and spirit, it can be jarring to have been wrong. So interesting.