Is Social Media changing our Society for the Worse?
Before anything else, I want to say that I love social media. Social media is great, and I regularly find myself spending mindless hours browsing through Instagram or Scrolling through TikTok. But has it changed the way we think and act? Does it truly benefit us?
The idea that technology shapes our basic behaviors and society is not a new one. Technological Determinism is an idea that has been around for decades and attributes everything from how we think, communicate, and learn to technology and technological change. The notion is that as technology changes, it shapes how we behave and alters the whole of our material culture.
As always, if you’re unfamiliar with Marshall McLuhan’s idea of Technological Determinism or the meaning behind “the medium is the message”, go ahead and give this quick 5-minute video a watch! It does an incredible job of providing examples of the theory through quotes from McMulhan’s book, plus it has fun illustrations that make understanding the topic a little more digestible.
Let’s dive into the strong points and limitations of the theory through some modern examples.
I think one of the most pertinent examples that demonstrates just how much our society has changed due to technology is through social media. I can speak for myself in saying that social media has altered the way I think, communicate, and view those around me. I mean, did it really happen if it wasn’t posted on social media? But, in all seriousness, there’s extensive research that quite literally suggests those who spend less time on social media tend to be happier than those who don’t. This implies a serious change in our physical health due to technology, validating social media and digital technology as a driver of change within a large phenomenon in our society.
Along with mental health being affected by technology, I think we can look to attention spans being affected by modern technology, rather than the specific message, on social platforms like TikTok. Although it’s difficult to accurately measure, it’s not completely out of line to think our brains are being trained to pay attention less and less through quicker, more readily available content, effectively shortening our attention spans. Information moves at light speed over the internet, forcing us to pay attention to more and more tasks and messages in the same amount of time.
Another insinuation of the theory that has proven to be quite accurate was McLuhan’s idea on information war and that it’s being fought through electric informational media. This couldn’t have rung more true for the past two elections we’ve witnessed in the U.S. Social media has played a larger role in shaping election outcomes and voting decisions than ever before. We saw this in both 2016 and 2020, and we’ll without a doubt see it again in years to come. The message will change, but the impact will remain the same as it relies more so on the medium than the specific message.
We know how social media and modern technology affect us as a society, but what do opponents of the theory suggest? When McLuhan initially released this theory, he was met with sharp criticism. Why?
For starters, a classic argument against technological determinism is that technology doesn’t force itself upon those who don’t use it, restricting the idea that societal changes are caused purely by technology. Rather the changes may be more linked to the humans that created the technology and then decide whether or not to use it. For instance, plenty of my friends have decided to leave social media. It’s a tempting thought, and more people are leaving it behind now more than ever; however, it illustrates the presence of a choice when it comes to using technology, demonstrating how the effects technology will have on society are ultimately up to us as humans.
Another limitation or challenge to Technological Determinism comes from the idea that the medium is the message. The idea that the technological medium has more impact than the message itself, as it relates to societal changes, is just something I can’t get behind. Yes, technology has undoubtedly changed society and influenced our behavior. However, I fully believe the message holds more direct power to alter behavior than a change in the medium has or ever will.
Lastly, there is no subtlety with Technological Determinism, and I believe that hinders it. There is no question that technology affects and influences us; however, I believe its effects are more subtle and rely heavily on social context. Many factors influence our societal behavior, and viewing technology as the sole reason for change is an overcomplication of a phenomenon that’s truly impacted by many different reasons. This is a component of the theory that I find particularly misleading, especially considering it leaves us with little to no ability to impact or shape the changes taking place in society. Issues such as political control, economic issues, socioeconomic factors, and so much more are just as paramount in driving societal changes, not just technology. Reducing change to a single factor limits perspective and can be dangerous, especially when analyzing social phenomena.
