Social Media is Mind Controlling Us

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: RomeByFire

Some people are weak-minded and fall prey to the manipulations of others of ill-intent. I think the MSM is just as dangerous as social media. I don't do either.

I believe ATS counts as social media.

In a way. But OTOH, "social media" (In quotes because I feel stupid even writing the words) hasn't been able to do anything thus far that ignorant morons haven't allowed it to do willingly.

So something like Facebork might have been nefarious from the very beginning. They may well have started out with world domination as their goal. People willingly gave them all the power they have over us. When millions of people turn against one person or company or whatever, you see it over and over. No one can withstand that in a world that runs on money.

It wouldn't take much for enough people to turn against Facebook to sink them. But it hasn't happened (and probably won't) because the tool is too useful for TPTB. And the masses worship consensus. And TPTB control consensus. And that's why "social media" has the influence that it does. It's the same reason the most popular kid in school was the most popular kid in school. It's just groupthink. If a hundred million people all choose to do something stupid, the entire world will go stupid overnight.

a reply to: muzzleflash

I asked Alexa if she was mind-controlling me.

She asked who would put such ideas in my head then offered to select some fine television programming for me to watch.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: muzzleflash

I asked Alexa if she was mind-controlling me.

She asked who would put such ideas in my head then offered to select some fine television programming for me to watch.

LMAO

originally posted by: DogStarIn1066

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: RomeByFire

Some people are weak-minded and fall prey to the manipulations of others of ill-intent. I think the MSM is just as dangerous as social media. I don't do either.

I believe ATS counts as social media.

Definitely.
They don't buzz our phones though. I would be ok with ATS buzzing me but the owners said the coding wasn't compatible. This website predates smart phones by a long shot.

a reply to: BrianFlanders

Exactly. They are too big to fail now.

And even if we did turn against it the media would cover it up to protect their investment and probably create false narratives like "it's only the racists who are against us, don't be a racist!".

It is. So what do you purpose to do about it? Spread it/social media, like, on ATS? Good plan!

a reply to: DBCowboy

No doubt, something "soothing"?

originally posted by: murphy22
It is. So what do you purpose to do about it? Spread it/social media, like, on ATS? Good plan!

Yes of course!

Ahhh I love the dopamine rush I get from condemning dopamine rushes!!

a reply to: DBCowboy
LOL!!!! You sir are a genius!

a reply to: muzzleflash

Their is no such thing in the internet era as "too big to fail now". Several internet giants have fallen over the years. Google was not the #1 search engine forever, Facebook was at one time not the #1 social media, messenger wasn't a "Facebook" thing.
The problem with some of these giants is that they have infiltrated themselves everywhere, however...look at Yahoo. They are a shining example of a company that used it's internet fame to grow it's business beyond the boundaries of the internet, which are struggling today.

We should use these platforms to bring change, however hard this may seem. Sometimes you must fight fire with fire...

ATS is the closest thing to social media I really use anymore...and yes ATS is social media with instant gratification. We each get dopamine rushes from seeing reply's to our posts or stars piling up to our replies!

a reply to: UndeadWarrior

But you want to disagree, thus collapsing my echo chamber and stifling my dopamine rush! Hahah

Really though I appreciate your thoughts because they help balance mine. Thanks for commenting!

a reply to: muzzleflash

But you just got another dopamine rush because I responded to your message thus providing gratification and justifications of your being here. The feeling is mutual since you responded to my reply. Thank you, I feel great now but dopamine is bad for sleeping, so, this dopamine rush will have caused me a shorter nights sleep, more time to waste searching for dopamine rushes before bed...it will then create a lack of sleep, followed by anxiety, which I will then try to silence out via hollow gratification which will create another dopamine rush...

OMG THIS CYCLE IS NEVER ENDING!!!

a reply to: RomeByFire

It's not the phone. It's the positive reinforcement. Video games are designed off a similar mechanism. Right now, the video game industry is trying to pare that experience down to its bare minimum through microtransactions (game as service). Instead of creating an immersive, fully interactive experience that the player plays through interacting with the environment, the game companies are using the browser model - create meaningless arena games where you have to either get your butt handed to you for hours, days, weeks just to earn enough points to buy one loot box (where the dopamine rush comes from as you see what new bits and pieces of gear or costume you get) or you immediately fork over cash ... maybe $5 ... to buy one.

You get the positive thrill from seeing what you get after spending that money. You used to get it from beating that boss you learned to hate after fighting through a story, but people are so dumbed down these days, they'll simply spend $5 for the payoff right away.

Getting your likes on Facebook is no different, and as locked in as so many folks are, you can see why it's so easy to cyberbully people into killing themselves. I can't fathom it myself, but I can see it for some of these lost little addicts.

I stopped Facebook long ago when I realized how much time it was starting to suck up and I realized it was meaningless and simply stopped.

a reply to: muzzleflash

You simply have to watch this video.

how ironic

a reply to: DBCowboy

Don't lie.

We all know she just laughed at you.

a reply to: ketsuko

That would absolutely freak me out.

Worse than the time I accidently saw some naked pictures of Joy Behar.

originally posted by: muzzleflash

originally posted by: RomeByFire

originally posted by: Mandroid7
a reply to: RomeByFire

I think people should be addicted to tech, to learn stuff.

It's odd that what they want to learn is other peoples thoughts 24/7/365

It is weird.

Who is they? People?

Dr. They... cmon don't you watch the X-Files?
The one with Dr They causing the Mandela Effect and the return of the forgotten 3rd member Reggie Something was the best episode they've ever made! It was on just a few weeks ago.

But, he said it wasn't called the Mandela effect before, they changed the name of it to confuse everyone.

I've done some awesome things on Facebook. I've reconnected with old friends who I NEVER would have ever talked to again, and sorted through these people, finding out who I have more or less interest with. How do you put a price on that? I have only 100 friends or so, but only 50 real ones. Those people mean a lot to me, Facebook not withstanding.

Recently I ran a very disruptive political campaign locally, using little more than Facebook ads with homemade memes. I was able to post municipal documents that I researched myself, and give them context with pictures of some questionable items. That material gave me the power and momentum to attend public meetings and speak to council. It offered me a hammer of respect that isn't ordinarily granted to "regular" people in town.

More recently I started a page specializing in a car brand. I was sick of the old car forum idiots, so now I have my very own interest page that I can run my own way.

So, no, I don't think FB is evil. It brings me news and events that I SELECT from around the world in a way never available before.

Someone could just use an alias and get all the benefits, w/o exposure. That may be where I am going, a bit dark.

It's said that NOT having social media is a flag for questionable behavior. There is a case for living your life in the open, but I see both sides of that argument.

The old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I use FB about 70% as much as I did at my peak, which is consistent with the general public. In winter, I use it more, in nicer times of year...less.

Social media is at least interactive, unlike video games, for example. I've had my own PC for 33 years, I know what I like.

Excellent thread and topic.

I used to be a slave to the whole social media thing, but about 6 months ago I just stopped posting, replying and only talked to those who directly ask me a question.
In my work canteen, everybody uses mobiles to access Facebook & Twitter, while I try to read my book. (Currently The Prince & The Pauper)
I get shown endless videos of fails, songs, opinions, memes and other rubbish that I don't need to see or hear.
When you're out in a bar you see couples checking phones to see if they have a like or a message. Where has the art of conversation gone?

I have asked the question to my Facebook friends where all the information they share goes. I hardly ever get a response.

It is an addiction. I can atest to that. It's hard not to check your mobile to see what's happening in the world.

I grew up in an age where we didn't have them. I miss those days.