Whose Phone Is This
Our phones are gateways to a vast digital landscape filled with people we love, the things we desire, and. a larger community. This landscape is ruled by social media and the algorithms that operate it. Using this technology we engage in numerous conversations, participate in political movements, and stay informed in a fast-paced, ever-changing world.
But, what society tends to neglect — or ignore — is the fact that our dependence on social media can morph into becoming fixated on seeking the next “thumbs up” or trending topic. As a result, we lose sight of who we are as individuals. We begin to fill every second of our time typing and taking the word of unknown authors as gospel. With these things in mind, it would be wise to consider that, as independent creatures, we must realize the importance of knowing when to log off.
Needless to say, spending too much time browsing posts can be detrimental to one’s sense of self, but the same can be said for those generating the posts. Videos and photographs can serve as a form of self-expression. It is a means of promoting prosperity, talent, and uniqueness. The user may experience a sense of momentary accomplishment and pride for sharing with the world how different they are, but in truth, they are merely one of numerous others who published the same thing.
As Anahi Pellathy, print editor for Culture on The Standard aptly states, “Social media is often referred to as a highlight reel. However, this “highlight reel” is not just a random summary of personal highs; it is carefully curated to fit the aesthetic or group that individuals want to represent. As a result, it has become common to form perceptions and assumptions about an individual based on their presence…we classify them according to their Instagram aesthetic and judge accordingly. The individual disappears into the collective.”
In other words, although the identity that is created on a profile may showcase the qualities of a person, it does not always separate them from the crowd, but merely makes them a member of it. Consequently, consumers of content tend to mirror their lives based on a multitude of personalities who do the same. This creates a trend — no pun intended — and to quote Pellathy once more, “trends create a culture of conformity…” (Pellathy 2024).
In this culture of conformity, the youth of today battle to find themselves among a myriad of platforms “setting the standard” on how to be. As in 2018, CNN reported, “About 56% of US youth have their own social media accounts, according to Common Sense Media. The average age when signing up for an account was 12.6.” (CNN 2018) Though this is a dated statistic, the evidence is prominent in everyday life. On city buses, in grocery stores, and even at school, children can be seen conversing on different platforms and forming connections.
On one hand, this is a good way to branch out, but on the other, it can potentially decrease opportunities for our kids to take on constructive activities to help shape their individuality. In April 2023, Emma Armstrong-Carter of the University of California’s Institute of Human Development would investigate how teenagers navigate such issues when it comes to social media, as well as how it may affect interactions with others.
She explains, “We tested whether adolescents’ use of social media to interact with peers in daily, real-world settings relates to their feelings of social connectedness, social craving, and sensation seeking in the same hour.” (Armstrong — Carter 2023). After the tests were finished, Armstrong-Carter came to the same conclusion that many of us as Americans have made: “A consistent pattern of results illustrated that during hours when…youth used social media to interact with peers, they reported…higher levels of sensation seeking.” (Armstrong — Carter 2023).
Carter acknowledges the benefit of connectivity offered by networking platforms, but as demonstrated in the experiment, children tend to access them with the purpose of either branching out, as they should, or taking part in the buzz surrounding the latest video or the newest dance. For years, extensive research has documented the ways social media can hinder, or at times contribute, to self-identity.
While this research is largely targeted towards the younger demographic, the platforms centered around “linking up” can very well remain a factor into adulthood. Hell, even at the age of twenty-six, if I had a nickel for every time a photo on Snapchat had me second-guessing my lifestyle, I would probably be able to pay off all of my student loans.
Yes, the sites that we explore to mingle with others can often magnify the self-doubt that we carry through our daily lives. A major reason is that, as previously mentioned, social media encourages people of all ages to flaunt whatever sets them apart. That if they have a body, belongings, or achievements that are worth showing off, then it should be flaunted. The outcome is that those of us who may lack confidence in certain areas will most likely compare themselves to what the site wants us to see.
Therapists worldwide would certainly concur that this self-comparison can lead to depression, poor body image, and feelings of inadequacy. Regrettably, there are so many routes to choose from, it is almost impossible to identify one that helps combat these feelings. Readers can find solace in this: Human beings are both gifted and flawed in their own ways. It is this that helps to shape who we are. To base who you are and how you view yourself based on what these sites peddle would be a disservice to yourself.
Many of us discover much of ourselves while around others, but when we separate from friends and loved ones and are left with our thoughts, our greatest truths. can be unearthed. These times of isolation, long or short, are opportunities for introspection. A call to ask ourselves, “How should I go about this?” “Could I have done that better?” “Can I do this much longer?”
Thoughts like these are inevitably halted by a notification from a mobile device. Often, people (young and old) fill their spare moments by scrolling and instant messaging. Coupled with the intuitive advertising that bombards viewers, eyes can remain glued to the screen for a considerable amount of time.
As a result, time that can be used to discover ourselves is forfeited. Many of us would rather be ensnared in social media than to grapple with the serious matters on our minds. A psychologist from the University of Virginia named Timothy D. Wilson tirelessly studied the human ability to be alone.
“People were asked to sit in a chair and think, without a device or book. They were told that they would have from six to 15 minutes alone and that the only rules were that they had to stay seated and not fall asleep…many student subjects opted to give themselves mild electric shocks rather than sit alone with their thoughts.” (Turkle 620).
In sum, the students taking part in the study were expected to sit for less than twenty minutes without any reading material or devices. These students would choose momentary discomfort over having to be forced to contemplate.
The experimenters offered some of them a jolt of electricity and ironically, it was not to help fight the urge to doze off. It can be inferred that the pain was a substitute for the distraction previously provided by social media. Some of the subjects may have needed their devices for an obligation like work or school, but regardless, these apps create a bubble of noise around us. This cacophony can restrict us from being willing or able to look inward, ask ourselves the important questions, and ultimately be our own person.
Once a child reaches maturity, it progressively becomes their responsibility to learn about themselves and humankind with the words of those that raised them playing in the background of their mind. By the time of adulthood, it becomes apparent that we must discern the truth from what one claims to be the truth.
Once a media platform is opened, the screen is flooded with various brands and influencers urging citizens to join in the fight: The fight for human rights; save the environment; improve the workforce, etc. Taking part in causes like these at least once in a lifetime is common, but what about the causes that are less defensible such as movements that divide us as a nation? How about the campaigns that single out a gender? Or that vilifies a nation? “Why would I choose to be a part of that?”, you may ask. The answer may be in the feed that you are scrolling through.
Studies show that social media is used for spreading websites containing fake news. These are created by corrupt companies and fascist bandwagons. “I took a list of these fake news sites that was circulating”, starts Jonathan Albright, Elon University’s assistant professor of communications. “…I had an initial list of 306 of them and I used a tool… to scrape them for links and then I mapped them. So I looked at where the links went — into YouTube and Facebook, and between each other, millions of them…” (Cadwalladr 633).
These websites are distributed among the array of apps in which users come to connect with others before unwittingly coming across one of these links. Cautious, well-meaning readers may see the reprehensibility of these sources and know to keep their distance. On the other hand, how many times have we looked to a post for inspiration or advice? Humans are creatures of inquiry, but when they don’t know things for themselves, no matter the significance, it becomes easier for anyone with an ulterior motive to capitalize on their ignorance.
Still, what about the positive changes brought about by social media? During the global pandemic alone, when people were more distant than ever, apps for networking were a valuable asset that helped to make life easier. We were, after all, designed to seek connection. Associate professor Nicholas Brody of University of Puget wrote an essay titled, “It Turns Out Our Tech Gadgets Aren’t as Isolating as Experts Say” that illustrates this.
“As a professor and researcher of technology and communication, I teach a course on the social implications of technology. In one assignment I ask students to forego all communication technology use for a 24-hour period and document their experience… students very rarely miss the technology itself. Rather, they miss each other.” (Brody 594)
As COVID-19 ran rampant, parents saw their children’s desire to be in touch with their friends everywhere. Social media also granted the youth a means of branching out without needing to be in person until the lockdown ended. The founding editor of the digital library known as UbuWeb recalls a time when the daughter of his sister-in-law tried to show her videos teaching how to make goth-themed clothes and accessories. His sister-in-law said, “‘This is nice, but I don’t want to spend the night clicking around.’ The daughter responded indignantly that she wasn’t just ‘clicking around’ She was connecting with a community of girls her own age who shared similar interests.” (Goldsmith 586).
These are only two of millions of stories that show how social media can keep humanity together without being in proximity. It is evident to this day. Connectivity to others is a must, but balance is just as important. It is not healthy for a person to live vicariously through those seen in a feed, just as it is not wise for them to limit themselves to complete isolation. Everyone owes it to themselves to live their own lives — filled with personal experiences, lessons, and opinions of their own — while briefly taking a look at others.
Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan once stated, “…the vested interests of acquired knowledge and conventional wisdom have always been by-passed and engulfed by the new media…The student of media soon comes to expect the new media of any period whatever to be classed as pseudo …” (Goldsmith 585). The appeal of social media or the good it has done should not be written off as pseudo. It is a tool, and an exceptional one at that. But what everyone should know, regardless of their walk in life, is that they were meant to be themselves and to develop their own ideas. New media and new experiences are always going to come around. There is no need to sacrifice who you are just because your apps tell you to.
Hey! Thank you so much reading; this was an essay that I submitted to my English class in early 2024. I was asked to choose a topic and I felt that this one in particular Was close to home for me. So for my final assignment for that class, I wrote about how phones can affect how we see ourselves. Again, thank you for stopping by my little profile and if you could shoot me a follow, it would really support both my growth on Medium and as a writer. Be blessed.
Bibliography
Brody, Nicholas. “It Turns Out Our Tech Gadgets Aren’t as Isolating as Experts Say.” They Say/I Say with Readings, edited by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, et al., W.W. Norton, 2021, pp. 593–596.
Cadwalladr, Carole. “Google, Democracy, and the Truth about Internet Search.” They Say/I Say with Readings, edited by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, et al., W.W. Norton 2021, pp.624–642.
Goldsmith, Kenneth. “Go Ahead: Waste Time on the Internet.” They Say/I Say with Readings, edited by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, et al., W.W. Norton, 2021, pp. 582–586.
Turkle, Sherry. “Stop Googling. Let’s Talk.” They Say/I Say with Readings, edited by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, et al., W.W. Norton 2021, pp. 614–623.
Armstrong-Carter, Emma. “Momentary links between adolescents’ social media use and experiences and motivations: Individual differences by peer susceptibility.” American Psychological Association, 2024, https://eds-p-ebscohost-com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=df96d3f0-22dc-46c3-90de-f086d10d5306%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=mnh&AN=36521149.
Pellathy, Anahi. “Social media limits individuality.” The Standard, 01 Jun. 2021, standard.asl.org/18381/opinions/social-media-limits-individuality/#
