When did the British public become so soft?

Look at the world portrayed on Instagram, it’s a long way from anything on the news. Not much about floods, trapped children, refugees in Bangladesh or Syria. No migrants clinging to boats in the Mediterranean. Same on Facebook – if we’re honest, how many of us post stuff to attract as many “likes” as possible? Instagram is about pretending your life is gorgeous and happening, when in fact you’re photographing a tiny corner of the kitchen or a meal someone else cooked. It’s about a fantasy lifestyle, one you wish you were living, rather than the grim reality of the daily commute.

Leah Pearlman worked for Facebook and devised the “like” button – this week she explained how she became addicted to the sense of validation the site provided, and she urged teenagers to remove themselves before it damaged their self-esteem. Another technology expert reckons that Facebook’s business model is designed to turn users into addicts, constantly drawing you in. Our constant postings on social media, our inane conversations and comments about the utterly mundane, our desire to gather “followers” and be “liked” by total strangers is gradually turning us inward and rendering our brains soft and mushy.

Eilzel wrote:I post any news story, share a video or comment on something in the news regularly enough on FB, and the interest is stark when compared to the posts of photos of me or me and my husband. People just aren't concerned sadly. I'll still post them though because occasionally they do spark a discussion - which is what I'm all about

Many don't bother, just an endless deluge of selfies, memes and kids (poor kids, who will ironically probably grow up hating FB as a result).

It's the same in life. People avoid these topics, actively. The people I'm closest too do not. It's pathetic imo to be afraid of talking politics or social issues for fear of argunent. I live from it, my BF in Thailand, also a Brit, is someone I share a lot in common with but we always try to debate our disagreenents when together, and we love it. Then we go watch a movie or walk round a temple together.

I love social media though, especially living far from my home country.

Note: I certainly don't think it's just a British problem

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:It's escapism. We saw it in the U.S. after 9/11 -- violence was toned down in movies and TV shows; people spent less time engaging with the world and more time sprucing up their homes.

It's not that people don't see what's happening to the world. They're traumatized and they're comforting themselves.

eddie wrote:

Ben Mothafuckin' Reilly wrote:It's escapism. We saw it in the U.S. after 9/11 -- violence was toned down in movies and TV shows; people spent less time engaging with the world and more time sprucing up their homes.

It's not that people don't see what's happening to the world. They're traumatized and they're comforting themselves.

Self-comfort is what is expected of us. Know why? It keeps us drunk...on alcohol, or sugar, or sleep...that’s why we are kept scared and frightened. We are kept tame.
And drunk.
And fat.
And tired.

Social media, such as Facebook, keeps us addicted too.

eddie wrote:Veya you totally missed the point.
People reading a book is a totally different concept to people speaking on a social media platform.