mrlightgivemegoodmarkplease

[mrlightgivemegoodmarkplease]

I’m on TikTok and I Have No Shame: Does TikTok promote shamelessness in a way that is unique among social media apps?

TikTok has been, and will continue to be, an extremely influential development in the social media market. I believe that the reason for this is due to what Nicholas Carr explained in his essay; that “TikTok shows us what a world without shame looks like.”

Although TikTok has it’s obvious faults, it contains a unique social environment where a child-like sense of playfulness emerges. In a modern world so caught up in defeat and terror, TikTok offers a service that is based in escapism, comfort and levity. Young people often log on to TikTok for a break from the anxieties and stresses that dominate the rest of their adolescent lives. For a lot of people it has created a safe space where these heavy issues can be turned into light-hearted comedy. 

On the other hand, one must ask, where is the line drawn? When I am scrolling through the endless stream of content on the app it is painfully apparent that TikTok creators or “influencers” are often lacking in self- awareness. It has become a common occurrence for so-called innocent jokes to go too far, becoming borderline offensive and hurting a handful of viewers feelings. I think that this is due to the previously mentioned wide-spread lack of shame on TikTok, and the fact that anyone will post anything in order to get views. Nicholas Carr writes that on the platform “There is only one virtue: to be seen.” Some users will be purposely and unabashedly controversial in order to do just that, leaving common human courtesy and morals at the door.

The specific nature of the TikTok is definitely what makes it so unique, setting it apart from the numerous other social media platforms. For example, Instagram is starkly different due to the fact that the majority of posts are heavily curated. Instagram “influencers” put a lot of time and work into what and when they share. Even regular people are very particular in how they present themselves on Instagram, limiting themselves on the amount that they post so that they don't come across as annoying or self-obsessed. I think that it could not be more different on TikTok, where there is an overwhelming amount of content being produced and published 24/7. 

On TikTok, it is evident that the average person rarely puts a second thought into the validity of their content, however brave or unusual the subject matter may be. Political inaccuracy and offhandedly offensive jokes appear to be on the rise within TikTok. Blatant bullying and name-calling is regularly masked as edgy humour. Although negativity is an aspect of social media no matter what platform you’re on, TikTok seems to take the cake in terms of the sheer amount of “trolls”. This can be seen of course in the comments, but also in videos, using the “duet” feature. This feature allows users to directly respond to anyone else's videos with their own, becoming a split-screen on users' phones. The duet feature has been a gateway for bullying where one person's harmless fun can be turned into viral harassment. So subsequently, one must ask- is the shameless nature of this app engrained in its features and design as a medium or was it implemented by cruel users? 

As a medium, one would think that TikTok promotes an ideal online experience, one where you are never bored or lack entertainment. Nicholas Carr brought up the idea that what makes TikTok so specifically enticing is the endlessness of the app, or rather it’s categorization as “infinite media ''. I believe that the reason for its endlessness is due to the fact there are no limits to what is acceptable. 

Lately, I have been closing this popularised app with a bad taste in my mouth, and a pessimistic perspective on my own generation. I personally wonder if this app could be a strong push towards the end of sensitivity, empathy and mutual respect online. 

[mrlightgivemegoodmarkplease]

Me Me Meme Me: Explain and deconstruct a meme. How is it constructed? Why do you laugh? Is it harmless fun? Or vicious snark?

To be honest, I like to think of myself as somewhat of a meme connoisseur. So, naturally, when I saw this question I just had to partake and sink my teeth into an analysis. First and foremost- what exactly is a meme? Oxford defines a meme as a “humorous image, video, piece of text, etc., that is copied (often with slight variations) and spread rapidly by Internet users.” Although accurate, this definition only describes memes broadly, for they are so much more to an avid virtual jokester. Within my generation, I think that memes play a huge role in forming the interests and humour of the public. The power of a single meme can be astronomical. Depending on a memes’ conceptual value and the length to which it spreads, memes often influence many internet-goers political views and ideologies. 

Relatability is undoubtedly a huge part of meme culture. If someone can see themselves in a joke they are more likely to laugh, and in turn like or share a post. The average person has a stronger response to comedy that connects to their own life experiences, or in the internet’s case; memes that display a trait or thought that they recognize within themselves. 

It is a common theme with so-called “mental health” memes for creators to use seemingly happy and pleasant imagery- that is often reminiscent of childhood- alongside serious text. The meme above showcases just that, veiling the severity of what is being said by adding pictures of a familiar childhood character. This meme is playing off of the power of nostalgia, which goes hand in hand with my earlier point about relatability, as the generations that grew up watching Toy Story are more likely to find this meme amusing. This target audience would immediately know that Woody’s character would never say something like “things might be really shitty right now” (obviously) which makes it ironic and funny. 

However humourous this meme may be, it actually raises a serious discussion. For many, the internet is a place to go to feel less alone. I have noticed that on Instagram many feel less frightened when it comes to opening up about their mental health, often sharing deep internal problems. Discussing issues in real life to friends, family or even therapists is scarier to most people than simply typing their feelings out on a screen. As strange as it sounds, a lot of social media influencers find that sharing their emotions with a plethora of strangers on the internet can be quite liberating. It doesn’t just help them though, most people find it comforting to see that users they follow and admire are creating self-reflective, emotional memes that relate to their own mental state. I think that this rise in vulnerability online towards disorders such as depression and anxiety are lessening the stigma towards mental health, whilst also helping struggling youth to recognize what they may also be going through.

Despite the benefits of discussing mental health online, there are some issues that arise when spreading memes that relate to this topic. It’s no secret that as humans we tend to use humour as a coping mechanism, and turning pain into laughter can be beneficial. But, in terms of memes, I think that internet users have to ask themselves if the memes that we so regularly see are actually making us feel better or worse. I wonder this because the memes that my generation are drawn to are ones that tend to be heavily self-deprecating and pessimistic- just like the meme above. Although meme-makers have good intentions for the most part, this pattern of negativity can worsen the creator's own mental health, as well as the mental health of their followers. As a person who struggles with their own mental health, certain depressing memes end up just making me feel worse rather than comforted. In light of this, instead of immediately going to the internet for short bursts of serotonin from memes, I think that people who struggle with their mental health would benefit by getting real-world help. I understand that this is not an option for everyone and that circumstances differ in terms of access to assistance. 

I believe that the best solution to this problem would be to simply make memes less negative. Saying that “it just gets worse”, as the meme above does, isn’t going to help anyone feel happier (and plus, it isn’t even that funny!) This correlates to the second law that McLuhan introduced when analyzing media; reverse. Many of these mental health related memes are representative of a medium that reverses original intentions, making people feel worse rather than bringing them joy. This is a disastrous cycle that is inadvertently causing individuals with mental health problems to go on downward spirals when scrolling through endless streams of burdening negative content. 

In conclusion, I believe that the best way to combat loneliness and pain is to spread positivity, and what better place to apply this rule than with internet memes. 

[mrlightgivemegoodmarkplease]

Instagram, we need to talk

Dear Instagram,

You make me hate myself 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time I spend experiencing artificially induced serotonin. Instagram, you eat up so much of my time, and for what? It’s gotten to a point where I think that I must be addicted to you and your horrid ways. I’ll be the first to admit that what we have is an unhealthy relationship. I detect your toxicity from a mile away, yet I still log on to greet you each and every day. I truly believe that my life would be better without you in it. 

Despite these sentiments, I just don’t know how to quit you. I have tried, on numerous occasions, but you keep luring me back in. I keep coming back because you keep me involved and entertaining. There is never a shortage of content, with your memes, news, art and more. You give me an endless view into other people's lives, and who wouldn’t be intrigued by that? Everyone that knows you can see that there is something charmingly fulfilling about you. I guess it is somewhat comforting, being a cog in the machine that is social media, feeling like a small part of the vast internet.

However, it is a slippery slope. Your cons definitely outweigh your pros. Instagram, you have a disastrous influence on my well being. You continue to breed FOMO, comparison and self-hatred within me. It’s actually kind of pathetic how much I let you affect me. These days I have noticed that I tend to carry my frustration with you into the rest of my life, letting the insecurities you have created in me morph and destroy my friendships, my attention span and most significantly my mental state. 

 I sometimes wonder, is the real problem in our relationship the way in which I react to you? For example, I take everything that you tell me as fact. I continue to forget about the layers of construction and lies that are hidden beneath each post that I see on my timeline. But no, you’re the real issue here, for deception is at your core. You have warped my perception of reality, selling me dream after dream for years. I have chosen to believe a lot of it because even though lies are destructive, they are often a whole lot better than the truth. 

I have always feared becoming apathetic and incompetent, I just never expected that a social media app would be the thing to drive me there. With each passing day that I waste within your antagonistic walls, I feel more and more like a hollow husk of a human being. I am terrified that during my final moments on this Earth I will deeply regret spending a large portion of my youth accompanied by you. There are so many more important things I should- and could- be doing as opposed to mindlessly wasting away on your platform. 

 Needless to say after these rambles, you’re extremely bad for me. I understand now that it is time to say farewell, Instagram. I suppose that I just need to muster enough courage to follow through with uttering my goodbyes. 

Sincerely, 

Sally

[mrlightgivemegoodmarkplease]

Social Lives Online: Am I alone out there, or am I never alone anymore? Supported and connected, or lonely and isolated?

Ever since I logged onto Instagram for the first time years ago, I have been greeted every day with a constant stream of content that depicts people’s lives, interests and more. At first, my pre-teen self saw this app, and many other social media platforms- such as Snapchat and Tumblr, simply as entertaining outlets to both see what my friends were up to, as well as places to express myself. To be honest, at the beginning I was seeing social media through rose coloured glasses (or perhaps I was merely naive...) because my opinion on these apps has shifted dramatically. Instagram, specifically, started out as nothing more than a fun place to interact with my immediate circle of friends. Then all of a sudden, it altered into something resembling a competitive social sport amongst all of my peers. Along with the number of friends you had at school, likes and followers became a key feature of our adolescent social lives. 

Instagram morphed into a platform where you had to prove yourself, and as a constructed medium it’s central values are based around popularity. This competitive act was, for me, unnecessary stress added to the more common anxieties that came with being 13. With this technological advancement, not only did kids have to worry about their position in a hierarchy at school itself, but online as well. As new-age pre-teens in the age of Instagram we spent our evenings obsessing over things like the amount of comments on our recent posts or the number of group chats that we were a part of. Online comparison with my classmates sparked self- consciousness. It also left me feeling like I didn’t have enough friends, or that the ones I did have were uncool because they failed to get as many likes as the popular girl groups did. During a time period when I was at my most insecure, the comparative aspect of Instagram made me second guess a lot of my friendships and ultimately, my own self-worth.

I started getting caught up in a lack of validation from peers towards my own online social life, noticing that photography I posted wouldn’t get as many likes as a group selfie would. I ended up subconsciously only wanting to meet up with my friends because it would give me something interesting to post about. Hangouts that I used to look forward to for ages suddenly became stressful with the rise of social media amongst kids my age. I would worry more about taking photos for Instagram than about actually having an enjoyable time. I despise that I approached friendships this way during middle school, but I will admit that even now I still catch myself using this detrimental thought process. 

I have detected a similarity between myself and countless others in my generation. Most of the people that I talk to about the toxicity of Instagram relay that they too often feel a complicated obligation towards the app. Many of my teenage peers say that they feel the need to keep up a falsely “perfect” portrayal of their social life on the platform. I find myself feeling forced by society to create an altered construction of my relationships online, one that is usually grander than reality. Often when I attend large social gatherings I notice a pressure that some people feel to post something- a fun photo or silly video, even if it doesn’t actually represent how the event went. I have found that this pressure causes people to be less in the moment, and often ultimately makes them feel disconnected from what is truly happening around them at the time. 

I think that balance is key in terms of maintaining a positive social life both online and off. In the past couple of years, I have remarked that many teenagers have difficulty maintaining this balance. As a matter of fact, many young adults work harder on strengthening their online relationships (with friends, even significant others) rather than cultivating the ones they have in real life. An article written by Michael Poh for Hong Kiat (https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/online-vs-offline-social-life/) hypothesizes that there are two kinds of individuals; “(people) who complement their offline social life with their online one, and the rest who pretty much replace their offline social life with the online one.” I would say that with each younger generation, society is leaning more towards adopting the habits of the latter type of person. Many teens nowadays use the internet as their primary source of social interaction. Personally, I think that this is a problematic shift because social interaction should not only be about what is being said, but also how it is being said.

Throughout my own teenage years, I have noticed the odd effect that social media has on a young person's social life. It makes us feel insecure when we’re alone scrolling, mindlessly looking at others having what looks to be a good time. Then, when it the time comes that we are out ourselves with friends, many individuals focus on presenting all the fun they’re having, rather than actually having it. 

I actively try to avoid worrying about Instagram posts anymore because all it does is breed comparison and insecurity. Although Instagram was created as a social network, I think that all it is ultimately doing is making people lonelier.