Sailboat of needs:
Barry Kaufman proposed an idea of thinking about human needs. This idea takes the form of a sailboat. The actual boat part of the sailboat is the bare necessity to have at least a boat (bare human needs), and the sail is needed to make the boat move (Human Growth).
Social media
Social media affects the boat of our needs
Social media overstimulates the brain with images that can affect the boat of our needs. Constantly having the ability to see others and comparing yourself to them is unhealthy and can lead to issues with self-esteem.
Social media can create superficial connections. Although during certain situations it allows humans to connect when they normally could not, humans can sometimes become dependent on this kind of communication and refrain from in-person connections. A quote from Tania Luna from Psychology Today says, "They (Mehrabian and Wiener) found that only 7% of the judgement was based on the actual words, 38% was based on tone, and 55% was based on facial expressions (i.e., a total 93% nonverbal judgement)."
Social media is not safe. Although it doesn't cause direct physical harm it is not safe. Social media can create an environment for bullying. There is also a risk of getting hacked which can lead to user's data getting leaked.
Social Media addiction
- "...social connection has become druggified by social-media apps, making us vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption."
- "They do that by amplifying the feel-good properties that attract humans to each other in the first place."
- "We're wired to connect. It's kept us alive for millions of years in a world of scarcity and ever-present danger."- Bruce Goldman
Addiction to social media has a similar chemical effect to those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. The easy access to social media makes this addiction much easier to succumb to along with the fact that the signs of addiction are less noticeable. This over stimulating with dopamine can increase depression and anxiety in people.
what to do?
- Try a day long detox, start with social media and work your way to no tech at all
- Avoid apps like Tiktok that are designed for scrolling
- Use social media to formulate plans to hangout
- Avoid sharing too much on the internet
- Avoid accounts that don't give you positive thoughts
- Find activities that do not involve a screen
Resources
Healthline. "How to Be Happy." Last modified May 19, 2023. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-be-happy#daily-habits.
Social Media Ethics
Ethics
A.I.
Artificial Intelligence is a relatively new technological advancement that is growing exponentially. The Ethics of AI are often questioned. A common topic is how AI is susceptible to diversity bias. A.I. learns from:
- Data
- Pattern Recognition
- Algorithms
It takes data, uses its algorithms to analyze the data, and comes to conclusions about what to produce when asked about the topic it is receiving data on. However, there have been issues with AI being unable to perform certain tasks due to a lack of diversity in the data they are analyzing. It can be hard for AI to create accurate productions if it doesn't understand the new data. This can be combated by having a diverse group of programmers train AI to better the AI's diversity bias. It is similar to how a child who doesn't interact really with people outside of their similar situations will tend to have a harder time understanding others when they're older in comparison to those who grew up in more diverse situations.
Fake News & Misinformation
Michigan Library defines fake news as, "those news stories that are false: the story itself is fabricated, with no verifiable facts, sources or quotes." Fake news is an epidemic in media nowadays. With the ability to share information so easily it has never been so easy for false information to spread rapidly and get misconstrued. From jokes that gain too much traction to defamation of a person's character, fake news plays an abundant role in today's media consumption.
Examples Of Fake News:
Pizza Gate:
Pizzagate was a fake news scandal used to defame the Clinton family more specifically Hillary Clinton. It was considered a far-right conspiracy theory that Hillary Clinton was, "...sexually abusing children in satanic rituals a few hundred miles north, in the basement of a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant" (Rolling Stones). Although this was disproven it is still often quoted by conspiracists.
Harpoon Jimmy:
This story is an example from my life. My friend goes to Tulane in New Orleans. I go to visit him every year at some point. He is in a frat called Fiji and one time I went and he was telling me about how on their anonymous speaking app kind of like YikYak. Someone made up a the following story (believed to be another frat);
"So apparently Fiji had the audacity to implement a “whale watcher pledge” who goes by the name “Harpoon Jimmy” and was rejecting plus sized women at the door for being “whales.” At first it didn’t seem like much but eventually one of the brothers brought out a scale and told him to weigh any “borderline baby blue whales”?!?! How are people here okay with this this is so messed up… it’s blatant public humiliation towards girls that just want to have a good time for Mardi." (GreekRank). This story went viral and has been posted on many social media sites multiple times. Although Fiji never got into trouble people will come up to my friend and ask about it.
Learning how to identify and avoid falsified information allows people to be well-informed. Being well-informed will enable people to make better decisions in their lives and for the betterment of other people's lives. It also allows people to have a similar view of reality.
Videos on Fake News
Privacy
Privacy protection online is a major concern that requires serious thought when thinking about modern-day technology. As more and more of our information is online it becomes more and more important to protect that information. Cybersecurity prevents things like our credit cards, addresses, social security, etc. from getting leaked. Without proper cyber people data's become more and more at risk. This can result in identity fraud and the selling of people's data.
How To Protect Your Privacy
- Practice good security Heigine
- Beware of phishing
- Protect what matters most
- Delete some apps from phone (Use browser instead)
- Use encripted messaging apps
- Turn off ad personalization
Resources
Credits:
Created with images by Production Perig - "Businessman holding a cloud of social media network icon" • escapejaja - "Hand using smartphone with Social media concept." • lightpoet - "Young woman in bed holding a phone, tired and exhausted, blue light straining her eyes, messing up her circadian rhytm"