Are You Contributing or Just Feeding the Machine?

 When did we start throwing caution to the wind? 

There was a time when social media was a new concept. As a millennial, I felt like I was really a part of something special. No one had ever heard of something like this before yet no one could stop scrolling. Reconnections were made, friendships formed, romance took another shift in the virtual world, and no one considered the implications of the endless hours scrolling through content online. 

The leading platforms came clean eventually because they already got what they wanted. For as long as they could use science to coax people to linger on their sites, then technically, it wouldn't be manipulation, right? But it was. Because in using the scientific methods that made their platforms successful, they were assured to generate as much revenue with users becoming the product, as you may have learned from numerous documentaries of techies who wanted out of the business because of its dark developments. They realised what they had done to impact society, the human brain and its functioning and there was no turning back. Social media has become a part of our lives despite the warnings from neighsayers. They were never going to win that war. 

There is an even bigger problem. The problem was more than the sites themselves and their impact on our brains. The users were always the product, and they brought their misbehaviour to the virtual world in full force. Too many people are using their tech-savvy competencies to spread harm to other users online. From all forms of trafficking to joining terrorist groups, the internet has taken its own life form and it's scarily interacting with the naturally self-destructive human. 

How anonymous can we be online? There is this mask in our waking life but online, we think we have some kind of anonymity when we express our inner thoughts. Our inhibitions are lowered when we are holding our phones alone in the room, presuming our content won't come back to haunt us. Despite the numerous online scandals, we always seem to think our case is different when we misbehave. I think that was when we threw caution to the wind. 

There's a lot to be said about the human condition when it comes to our online personalities. Perhaps we should stop being hypocrites, constantly judging each other for seemingly shameful tendencies, only to hide our own secrets and inadequacies. Who gets to be condemned, and who is spared? The virtual world is a jungle where those who get caught are the ones who bear the brunt of being caught pants down. An example to those who have darker secrets to hide, only to join the hypocrites in condemning sharing our own inadequacies. We seem to think that it's different when we look inward, that we just sin differently. But misbehaviour is a case of accountability and the failure to understand that is the tragedy of man. 

There is nothing wrong with taking a break from social media when there is nothing valuable to post online. This is something lost on many content creators, who get consumed with the pursuit of fame and recognition. They would rather be controversial to stay relevant. But the thing with sparking a viral controversy, is the developments and consequences are unpredictable, in a very complicated way. Look at the period of cancel culture when certain people who may never be the same with a tarnished reputation weren't the villains they were painted to be. Nobody believed Johnny Depp because the public would almost always believe the woman, and this was something his ex Amber Heard used to her advantage. 

Social media has us carried away when we don't learn from the mistakes of those fallen from grace. Celebrities used to be the original influences, there were levels to this thing called fame. Now, we live in a period where are famous for being famous. A period where anyone and everyone gets the chance to become a celebrity. From the looks of the content considered to be from talented influencers, I'm left wondering what the word celebrity really means anymore.

Users will go to the extent of animal cruelty, feigning jest to make a perceivable positive impression. All to want to be seen, heard, loved and understood. In doing so, sometimes it eats away at their mental health, corroding their neural circuitry with vile filth from screens on a loop. Competing against some abstract adversaries while striving for independence, to self-actualise and take charge of our lives and wellbeing. We don't even care who's behind the screen anymore. At the end of the day, it's the numbers that count, so we do it for the loves and the likes. Just to be seen for one day. Because to some people, being special only means being seen. Therapy would have been much more rewarding and beneficial if they only knew.

Social media has made a struggle for the recluse who inclines to a quiet life. People may think they're weird, but they're the only sane ones left in a world that won't stop talking and posting. When people don't devote enough time for reflection and solitude, the consequence is more potentially controversial content. It would be better to make deliberate attempts to think twice before choosing how to interact with social media and returning with something substantial. A well carefully thought-out post brings immense benefits to the online consumer and adds to the creator's legitimacy. Consistently doing so while abstaining from trivial matters, is the mark of emotional maturity. 

After all, the internet and social media aren't the only places to have a good laugh. If anything they are saturated with variations of the same concepts. There is much need for diversification and depth. Motivational material doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing if it unblocks the fog from minds filled with baseless content, wasting the already limited brain capacity. 

Social media, for all its flaws, is not inherently evil. It can foster connection, create growth opportunities, and expose us to diverse viewpoints. But it requires a level of intentionality in how we engage with it. To stop throwing caution to the wind, we need to rediscover the power of reflection and introspection—the quiet moments of solitude that allow us to reconnect with our authentic selves, away from the noise.

We must learn to set boundaries, resist the temptation of cheap fame, and stop using others as mere stepping stones to our own validation. Instead, let’s embrace the complexities of our personalities, imperfections and all. Let’s aim for a more thoughtful, less impulsive existence both online and offline. After all, the most impactful voices aren’t the loudest; they are the ones that resonate, leave something substantial behind, and foster genuine connection and empathy.

So, the next time you log on, ask yourself: What am I contributing? Is this post adding something valuable to the world, or is it just feeding the machine? It's time to stop throwing caution to the wind and start posting with purpose. In a world that constantly pulls us in, the real power lies in how we choose to step back and engage with intention.