How the ‘LIKE’ Button Will Destroy the World
56August 13, 2012 by David
Let me paint for you a picture of a not-so-far-off future…
Human intellect has reach a completely new level. We’re talking beyond Matrix-level advancement here (without the robots taking over the world). Life is made so much easier by the fact that technology has progressed far beyond where it is today. In fact, it has advanced so much that people only have to interact with each other via social media.
Actually they don’t even call it social media anymore. There is no social...
No one speaks to each other. No one speaks, period. There are no words. There are no conversations. The world has 10 billion people but none of them are actually friends. Mankind has regressed socially to the point of absolutely zero personal connections.
Zero.
Sounds pretty bleak, huh? You might be asking yourself..
How Does This Happen?
Fortunately for us, this apocalyptic vision of the future won’t just happen overnight. For one thing we aren’t nearly to that point technologically. But even if we were, how bad could it be?
I mean that first part sounds pretty nice! Advanced technology. The pinnacle of human intellect. All that stuff seems like a good thing. But then it’s sort of ruined by the second part. The zero connections and regression of society stuff.
That can’t really happen, can it?
Look at the world around you: the technology we have today would have seemed impossible (insane, even) to someone a hundred years ago. Social media itself (this blog, for example) would have seemed impractical even 50 years ago. Yet it exists. It even thrives. Is it really so unbelievable that technology could advance to the point of being a stand-in for our emotions? our personalities? But I’m getting off topic.
The question was how does technology lead to the downfall of society as we know it?
It’s simple, really: technology eventually replaces society. It supercedes society. And for those of you disbelievers who say that this will never happen, I profess to you now that this change is already taking place.
Think about it. Your lives are being converted into online memories and biographies. Your conversations are becoming digital bits of information, communicated not in words but in symbols and images. The society we once knew, a society based on communication — written, spoken, personal – is disintegrating before our very eyes.
How easy is it to scroll through the Facebook timeline and ‘Like’ someone’s status, photo, link, etc.? Super easy. Almost too easy – we do it a hundred times a day. Actually, we do it 2.7 billion times a day. We stop using words to express ourselves and instead use mouse clicks and a thumbs up. We have essentially created a new form of communication — a new form of society.
Why is That a Problem?
There are many out there who believe that this vision of the future is to be strived for. It is the “great evolution” of our society. Some people believe that this is how humanity will achieve immortality, by converting our physical selves into an eternal, digital presence.
I disagree with those people.
Whenever you click your mouse and ‘Like’ that picture of the icanhascheezburger cat, you are engaging in social conditioning. For those of you that missed Psychology class let me break it down for you. By being able to express your approval of/admiration for something or someone by simply clicking a mouse, it becomes easier and more comfortable to always express your approval of/admiration for things in that way. To put it another way, it becomes more difficult for you to express that approval/admiration in any other way (eg, in person).
Surely you Facebook users have seen the petitions for a ‘Dislike’ button. Perhaps you are even someone leading the charge. And that’s okay. The fact that people are using social media to encourage change (even if it is a nonsensical change) means they are at least doing something right.
But this obsession with being able to express your feelings with the click of a button is evidence of our growing disconnect with society. Do we really need a ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ button to tell people whether we ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ something? Since when did we become incapable of using words?
As we continue down this road of making communication more efficient, we also continue to make it less personal. As a result, society as we know it will eventually digress into nothingness.
Facebook ‘Like’ button = fall of society. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the ‘Like’ button will destroy the world.
How Can We Fix This?
“But David,” I’m sure you are saying, “is there any way we can avoid this horrendous fate? Are we doomed to a life without friendship and love?” Calm down, it will all be okay. Luckily for us I am taking a radical approach to the subject. I don’t believe it is in our destiny to become permanently and completely disconnected from one other.
So what does this mean for us, then?
It means that the ‘Like’ button is effectively aiding and abetting careless social media users in the gradual disconnection of society. That much is true. As people lose the ability to share their feelings in person (or even in words, for that matter), they will lose the ability to sympathize, empathize, and communicate with one another. Insomuch as communication is the basis of our human society, society begins to deteriorate as communication begins to regress.
The solution to this problem isn’t a departure from social media. Far from it! I firmly believe that these tools we have available to us via the Internet can do more to advance society and advance personal connections than anything else. BUT — and this is a big but — we must be sure to use these tools effectively. We must be sure that we don’t forget the “social” part of “social media.“
Conversations must take place. Communication must be more in depth than clicking a ‘Like’ button or Retweeting someone. We cannot become idle bystanders to society rather than active participants in it. In this great new world of social media, we must ensure that society is translated to (but not replaced by) the Internet. Only then will my apocalyptic vision become science fiction instead of a realistic possibility.
Perhaps I am just a pessimist. Perhaps I’m taking things too far. Perhaps. But do you ever really want to find out?
That being said, feel free to ‘Like’ this article. Also keep in mind that I would love to hear from you, the readers. After all, that’s why I do this. And without that conversation, this vision of the future might just come to pass.
I think a great example of this is the “Like this” and “share this” picture trends. “Like this if you agree,” “share this to prove that all girls are beautiful,” etc. Liking and sharing are limited-scope tools. We should use our likes as pats on the back and our shares to spread the word – but we shouldn’t forget that the important part is the word, whether spoken, written, or typed!
Exactly. I think that when we begin to substitute our instant gratification/communication systems (such as Likes, RTs, etc), we sacrifice our ability to make insightful remarks and generate meaningful discussion. Hopefully we don’t evolve to that point, but it’s a realistic possibility.
I feel weird about Liking this, even though I liked it. Is that so wrong?
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
xx
Haha that’s what I realized at the end of the post. I’m telling people the problem with only Liking things, so how will I get people to respond to this? Thanks for stopping by :)
Heres my “like” …
That said humanity has a choice of being the master or the slave of the tool. That is all technology is, a tool.
Very true. Unfortunately some people don’t recognize that. And that truly is the problem.
Yep, being asleep is a problem.
I have a lot to say about this, but I really don’t have the time…
and therein lies the problem!
That’s a good point. I believe communication does become condensed because people want to fit more and more things into their schedule. That’s why there is a button so people can say they ‘Like’ something instead of take the time to comment! BUT you’ve done both, so you beat the system :)
Guess so—and succinctly, too. ;-)
Thanks, Dave! Great post, by the way.
Thanks Robin!
I actually agree with this, commenting to give a voice to my LIKE. There’s such a group-think feel to liking something that has 54 or 600 likes to it. (I’m with the cool people!) But what if you accidently click LIKE on one thing when you meant to LIKE something else? If you then UNLIKE the first thing, that feels like a big statement. One of my friends accidently disliked something innocuous I put on facebook (why I reposted it? don’t remember) and I felt so hurt! And I’m older–I’m from the pay-phone generation who grew up watching John Hughs films!
(And, oh yeah–thanks for liking my posts, David! :))
Very true, Lisa. UNLIKING or (even more important) DEFRIENDING is a more powerful negative statement than the positive of the ‘Like.’ It’s a sad truth, and perhaps we can figure out some way to make my generation less dependent on that form of approval.
Thanks for stopping by Lisa! I hope you’ll come back again. I love hearing insights like this.
I am a member or the conspiracy theroy that the predicted end of the world will be a grandiose technology crash..this, I believe, is directly due to Facebook.
My teeny tiny internet presence is mostly due to being an art-tiest..ha…but I blatantly refuse to do Facebook. I don’t care for exposure that much.
I have no need to reconnect with people I didn’t keep up with..if I cared they wo uld still have my phone number, or, at the very least, my email address. I find it a complete waste of time to give a poo about your car/baby/new favorite ice cream flavor or whatever.
Time wasting technology will be the death of our society. It doesn’t make you think, or grow, or want to change thr world.
Good God at the typos. Speaking of ill functioning time wasting technology..thanks smartphone!!
Haha it is a legitimate side of social networking. Why prolong the life of these digital, (excuse my French) half-assed relationships? On the other hand, if you’re not looking to use social media to produce in-depth relationships — say, for example, you just want to engage in a discussion with like-minded people — then the point is relatively moot.
But your argument is well-noted and very sound, because you can’t MAKE people want to use social media.
I like the opinion you’ve written here, Mr David.
The technology supposed to help the humanity and have a easy way of communication, and it is indeed true. Helpful in so many ways, but there is really a big problem when we cut off the social intreaction personally, which causes an isolation to the user. The disadvantage of this technology where somehow very clear. If we aren’t aware of this, I think we should be starting from now and should give our self a time to think. Cutting of the real deal in social interaction will become a problem later on! I personally feel the disadvantage of this thing and the liking thing on facebook.
I agree completely. Sometimes it’s necessary to take a step back and see how we are utilizing these technologies around us.
I think you have an interesting theory here, but I believe that things will never really progress so far. If anything, they will get half way and then there will be a backlash.
Personally, I like having the option of a like button because it’s easier than filling up someone’s comments with something small like “hey, good post!”, which I consider the equivalent of the button. When I really have something to say, I do comment.
I realize, though, that I’m far from the norm when it comes to social media. Even though I’m young, I’m old-school when it comes to technology in many ways. I don’t have a Facebook, even though I’ve been told again and again that I MUST have one. If people want to talk to me they can call me or email me. You know, show me they actually care about my life and want to have a real conversation with me. If I give and receive all my info from Facebook, what will I talk to people about when I run into them in person? “What’s new?” becomes a stupid question, doesn’t it?
Sorry, I’m rambling, I tend to do that when I get on a topic like why I don’t want a Facebook. I feel the need to defend myself. Anyway, as long as there are people like me out there, the rest will be forced to communicate with us in other ways. That was my point. I think. And who knows? Maybe everyone else will get tired of it, too, at some point. With something so new, you never know.
Me too! Everyone says I must have one and I’m like WHY?? I get defensive too :)
You may be right. I hope you’re right, at least. But there are so many methods for people to communicate without using any words, it’s easy to see how things could get out of hand. That’s what I wanted to present. Thank you for being part of the group that will make sure this never happens :)
Yes, I see. You’re welcome. : )
Like
[...] How the ‘LIKE’ Button Will Destroy the World « LIFE is unwritten says: August 13, 2012 at 11:08 am [...]
Sounds like you all are looking for something worthy of your thoughts! It’s like you are starving. Can you envision where you might find food for your thoughts?
I can’t speak for Rob, but I’m looking to raise awareness and spark a change in polio eradication. It’s not as widely known or popular of a cause as other things, but I have done a lot of work in the area and see how important it is. The best part is that it’s almost gone! But that last 1% is proving the hardest to get.
Polio ISN’T gone? I thought it was eradicated years ago! Wow, I had no idea.
Not gone at all. Granted, it is far less prevalent, but it is still a killer. The main countries it infects are Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Rotary International, UNICEF, the CDC, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are leading the charge for total global eradication. Google “PolioPlus” and you can learn more!
Your main correspondence–as well as your comments I find very interesting. I am pleased you have such a noble cause as polio eradication.
I, too, have a cause. My cause is to transition the United States government from a constitutional form of government to a parliamentarian form of government. I have recently written and published the second edition of my book, which explains why we need the transition and how to bring it about peacefully and quickly.
Do you know that Canada, a parliamentary democracy and our northern neighbor, has a balanced economy, universal health care, an excellent educational system, low unemployment, a housing market that is booming, an infrastructure that is in good hands, and Canada’s legislators are not bought by money? All these goodies are theirs because they have a parliamentary government and it sees that logical regulations are in place and enforced. Politicians and the wealthy in our country have vested interests in keeping you unaware of these facts.
United States citizens can have what Canadian citizens have if we (when we) transition to the American Parliamentary Democracy!
We need to free our leader (President) and our legislators from their inability to govern our country. Because we have a Constitutional government, our president is powerless to enact his platform—he must wait for the Congress to act. With our legislator’s pockets filled with money from the wealthy, and with one political party determined to prevent legislation favored by our leader, our country is falling farther and farther into disrepair. Citizens have lost and are losing their ability to sustain themselves.
David, if you will send me your email address I will ask Amazon to send you a gift copy of my book. (Amazon needs an email address so they can download the book to your library on your computer.). I promise I will protect your email address. If you do not wish to send me your email, my book ‘Liberation for the Nation’ can be ordered on Amazon and can be read on Kindle and the computer. The book cost is just $0.99.
Sorry for “liking” this post. And sorry for tweeting it. I’m sorry, but you’re just so right!
It’s the Catch-22 of writing a post like this. I want people to share it and respond to it! Thanks Anna :)
Me too ! /AOL>
Seriously I do agree. Thanks for visiting my blog, its at atangent to yours for sure. When I mention to people i do wargaming they assume its all on the computer games. Not so. Hands on wargaming with real figures and scenery results in a good deal of social interaction. Blogs, computer games and forums never beat walking into a room/village hall and seeing those little soldiers for real, talking with their proud owners who have painted them, having a game, taking the mikey out of people, and then having a curry and drink afterwards. Yes I blog, but I don’t use social media much because I am too busy being sociable.
What a wonderful thing that interaction can be. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to hear more from you!
Well, I liked your post, and I think that using the like button to show someone your appreciation of their written word or their photo etc can be a tool of communication and an act of kindness. As long as we don’t limit ourselves to pay attention and comunicate with the like button, I think we’ll be okay. :-) Love your blog, David!
Very true indeed. I suppose we should just not let it take over as our sole means of communication. But as you use it (as it should be used), it is most surely an innocent and even great thing. Thanks for stopping by!
I would suggest that it is a mistake to start out this discussion with a prediction of great advances in intellect. There is a great difference between intellect and technology. And in fact, that horrible prediction couldn’t possibly occur among intellectuals, or persons of high intellect. The ‘like’ culture appeals to people of low intellect who’re also challenged by social graces. Their capacity for self expression is parallel to that of the crowd at a football game, who alternatively cheer for one of the teams, and cuss out the referees. Study a bit about ‘crowd behavior’ and you’ll see many of the syndromes now developing in cyberspace. And these ‘problems’ did exist a hundred years ago, and even before that. Where I will agree with you, is that it is in the individual’s own interest that he or she learns to relate to others, whether face to face, or aided by various technological inventions.
I do admit that this post is exaggeration. That being said, I believe that these cyberspace syndromes are a threat to our society. And whether by those ills or by new problems, society is at risk for being overtaken by social media in the realm of social interaction. Intellect or not, technology or not, the risk remains.
“Your conversations are becoming digital bits of information, communicated not in words but in symbols and images. ”
But words are symbols, and people have been communicating in images for centuries. I see the “like” button as the digital equivalent of a smile and a nod. If I have anything more to say, I say it.
I have found that Facebook communication has resulted in me attending more real life events than I would have otherwise due to invites, and I often find myself in chat conversations that result in end with me and the other person planning to do something in the real world. Social media is what you make of it.
Quite true. I’m not advocating that social media is destroying the world. I support social media 100%!
And while people such as yourself use social media correctly, others use it as a shell so they don’t have to interact with “real” society. And that’s not what we want, is it?
I agree with your point that the validity of our use of social media is something we’re all personally responsible for. However, I do think a lot more people are spending time, as you made the example, smiling and nodding these days than commenting. Sometimes it feels like we’re becoming a big bunch of “Yes”ers, or not really listening to others, or just not talking.
I wanted to like this post but you made me feel guilty–darn you! Seriously though, I don’t think it will ever get to the extreme you posit. Mainly because we have evolved to be social beings. Have you ever gone months or years not touching another person (much less talking to them)? It took millions of years for us to evolve into social beings (most mammals are very social, particularly primates). The devolution of that social need–not just talking, but being in the physical presence and having physical contact with others would take several more millions of years–if at all.
I agree with a lot of other comments here–I am extraordinarily busy and I read online a lot. I don’t have time to comment on everything I read (and I tend to be far too verbose when I do–res ipsa loquitur). For me the like button is a way of saying “I totally agree, hear, hear! But I don’t have time to comment”.
I agree. Perhaps we wouldn’t go as far to the extreme as I suggest, but I believe that social media has already had a significant impact with the way we interact with each other socially. And I don’t think it’s in a generally good way! It’s just a matter of being able to recognize that social media is an extension of your social life, not a substitute for it.
I think we agree with that…it HAS changed the way we interact and not always in a good way. I think it appeals (at least to me and other social dorks) because it offers semi-anonymity. And for a shy person, that gives them leeway to open up. So for the shy or the shut-in, it is an incredible liberator but for the rest of humanity, not such a good thing.
Hm I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks for the input!
Just a few minutes back, I read a blog in freshly pressed where the writer felt the need to “like” a picture on a magazine. Such has become the significance of the Facebook like button in our lives.
How many times do people leave comments on your blog rather than a like? Like is easy. Express is hard.
A thought provoking take on the simple like button.
Regards,
Vithya
Very true. And as a fellow blogger, I’m sure you (like me) crave the comments far more than the Likes. Because a comment expresses genuine interest and care, and because it means conversation and participation rather than observation.
Thanks Vithya!
Absolutely. Comments show genuine interest. Like is more of a way to get a favor in return. “I liked your post, so why not like mine?”
99% of the bloggers do that.
Reblogged this on Abell2Live and commented:
This is a well-written post about social media in our life. Refreshingly, the author doesn’t just take the easy road, “piling on” the social media advancement. In fact, the author concludes, The solution to this problem isn’t a departure from social media. Far from it! I firmly believe that these tools we have available to us via the Internet can do more to advance society and advance personal connections than anything else. BUT — and this is a big but — we must be sure to use these tools effectively. We must be sure that we don’t forget the “social” part of “social media.“
I am guilty of lazily pushing the “like” button for faraway friends who post pictures instead of picking up the phone and calling them. I “like” certain businesses so I can follow what they are posting. I am not a fan of random “likes and shares”. I love sharing a funny photo or thought and spreading a smile or two but I agree that “like” does not mean very much and is a poor substitute for actually saying something. I’m going to “like” this post quickly because 4 little people just walked in the door and I want to interact. LOL
But I’m glad you understand the definition between social media and actual social interaction! :)
“Conversations must take place. Communication must be more in depth than clicking a ‘Like’ button or Retweeting someone. ”
So true. Simply “liking” a post or a comment, doesn’t even seem “real” or genuine anymore. And you’re right, we don’t “need” a like button. Sheesh! We can’t possibly be THAT lazy. Well obviously, we can and are. Sadly.
‘Sadly’ is the key word. Thanks for visiting/following! I look forward to hearing more from you.
Great job. A must read for everyone. I’m happy there are people all around, who share an opinion similar to ours, and are cognizant of the consequences this can create.
Thanks Tapish! I think that the more people there are to share this view point, the less likely my predictions are to come true.
I hope this only happens. :P
Interesting article. I find myself sometimes asking myself why i like something and should I quantify it by commenting. Then it is nice to have someone liking a post or a picture. I chuckled at the the because I wanted to click the like button. The Irony was quite amusing.