A new study from the UK suggests that social media platforms like Facebook are causing us to lose our individuality and revert to childlike thinking. The study warns that regular users of Facebook are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist from the University of Oxford, explains that social media platforms are changing our brains. She argues that we are losing our individuality and falling back into childlike thought patterns. Greenfield is particularly critical of Facebook-Home, the new user interface that streams friends’ updates directly onto the smartphone’s home screen.
At first glance, Facebook-Home seems harmless. Users can immediately see what their friends are posting, what photos they are uploading, and what they are doing. However, Greenfield argues that this creates an unhealthy dependence on monitoring the lives of others while simultaneously documenting every moment of our own lives on social media. This behavior harms our individuality by constantly exposing us to the lives of others and putting pressure on us to lead a “super life” online instead of preserving our privacy. As a result, our brains are slowly being reprogrammed from individualist to public community member.
Greenfield explains that our brains are unique because they have the ability to adapt to our environment. However, in an increasingly digital world, we are constantly on alert to what others (in this case, our Facebook friends) are doing or thinking. This changes our thinking and our attitudes towards many things. We become reactive instead of proactive, defining ourselves by likes and comments on our posts. We no longer take the time to reflect on our own thoughts and feelings, instead allowing the opinions of others to guide us. Our experiences are only special if our digital friends find them so.
The irony is that we value our privacy in real life, but we give it up completely on social media to be part of the community. Greenfield warns that this behavior is creating a new identity for us, and the danger is that we will eventually see ourselves as the community sees us. In conclusion, social media platforms like Facebook are changing our brains and causing us to lose our individuality. We must be aware of this phenomenon and take steps to preserve our privacy and independence.
