KARACHI:
In the digital world, social media has advertised a new kind of currency: likes and followers. The quest for likes and followers on social media platforms creates a sense of addiction. People who get oodles of likes and views on their posts seem valuable and admirable on social media, no matter how incompetent they are in real life.
In the digital world, likes and followers may give you bubble-reputation on screens, but this may be symbolised as mental sickness. In the digital world, likes and followers measure your so-called weight and value on screens and give you a bubble reputation. Nowadays, for the sake of likes and views, people are doing nonsense activities and demoralising social values on screens, which isn’t an appropriate act for the younger generation. The crazy long for earning likes, baseless attempts to get views, and a cycle of follow and be followed are all psychologically negative impacts of social media on individuals. De facto, our generation is going to be psychiatric patients.
TikTok, Instagram and Facebook are witnessing the adoption of numerous trends by users. Either this is getting publicity on screens or a mental abnormality, this question demands deep discussion and debate. It’s essential to focus on genuine self-worth beyond social media metrics. Don’t try to compare yourself to the people on social media. Comparing each other’s likes and views makes no sense.
Rajper Iqrar Hussain
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2024.
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