{"id":40615,"date":"2025-02-13T14:54:20","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T22:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=40615"},"modified":"2025-02-13T14:54:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T22:54:20","slug":"fear-ignorance-and-depression-oh-my","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/fear-ignorance-and-depression-oh-my\/","title":{"rendered":"Fear, Ignorance, and Depression – Oh My!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forget lions, tigers, and bears. The danger looming for today\u2019s society is more from the pervasive influence of fear, ignorance, and depression. This week\u2019s 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, \u201cSocial media has been linked to higher levels of loneliness, envy, anxiety, narcissism, and decreased social skills.\u201d[1]<\/a> 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\u2019s articles covered the gamut of impact on society, from politics to childhood.<\/p>\n

The Role of Social Media in Injustice and Political Dysfunction<\/strong><\/p>\n

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]<\/a><\/p>\n

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 \u201cgo viral\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

AI: A Substitute for Community? <\/strong><\/p>\n

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]<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

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 \u2018likes,\u2019 and when they are lacking, self-worth suffers.<\/p>\n

Solutions: Reforms and Social Norms for a Healthier Digital Future<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite the bleak outlook, Haidt claims some steps can be taken to mitigate the negative effects of AI and social media. In \u2018End the Phone-Based Childhood Now,\u2019 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]<\/a> Rather than gaining validation from \u2018likes\u2019 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\u2019d 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.<\/p>\n

The Loss of Empathy and Ancient Wisdom<\/strong><\/p>\n

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 \u201cmoral grandstanding,\u201d where individuals engage in public shaming to boost their own status rather than seeking genuine moral engagement.[5]<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u2019t 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]<\/a><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

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 \u2013 as we have learned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Silva, Clarissa, \u201cSocial Media\u2019s Impact on Self-Esteem,\u201d Huff Post (blog), February 22, 2017, https:\/\/wwww.huffpost.com\/entry\/social-medias-impact-on-self-esteem_b_58ade038e4b0d818c4f0a4e4?ec_carp=8674666493530318849<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Haidt, Johnathan \u201cWhy the Past Ten Years have been Uniquely Stupid\u201d The Atlantic; 2022; 9https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2022\/05\/social-media-democracy-trust-babel\/629369\/<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Haidt, Jonathan, Eric Schmidt \u201cAI Is About to Make Social Media Much More Toxic\u201d The Atlantic (blog), May 5, 2023; https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/archive\/2023\/05\/generative-ai-social-media-integration-dangers-disinformation-addiction\/673940\/<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Jonathan Haidt, \u201cEnd the Phone-Based Childhood Now,\u201d\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>\u00a0(blog), March 13, 2024,\u00a0https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/archive\/2024\/03\/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects\/677722\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Jonathan Haidt and Eric Schmidt, \u201cSocial Media is Warping Democracy,\u201d The Atlantic, https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2019\/12\/social-media-democracy\/600763\/<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Jonathan Haidt. \u201cWhy the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid.\u201d\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>, April 11, 2022. https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2022\/05\/social-media-democracy-trust-babel\/629369\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Forget lions, tigers, and bears. The danger looming for today\u2019s society is more from the pervasive influence of fear, ignorance, and depression. This week\u2019s 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":223,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2548,3397,1214],"class_list":["post-40615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ai","tag-dlgp04","tag-haidt","cohort-dlgp04"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/223"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40615"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40616,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40615\/revisions\/40616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}