The Student Room Group

Social media creating a culture of cowardice?

Does electronic gadgetry in general provide a safe haven for those with no integrity, principles or morality. People dont seem to have proper fights any more instead its little spats on 'instagram'. Instead of actually meeting women/men in a club social media has taken that over aswell with these various apps which seems perfectly adapted to the cowardly manipulative female mind. Much better in the 90s when you could actually attempt to pull birds in a club or have a decent scrap.
Social Media is a **** stirrers paradise. . People will say and do things they wouldn't dare do in a face-to-face situation.
I would agree that social media makes people "closer to those that are far away but further away from those that are close":wink:
The end result is: greater population of hermits who never leave the house, greater population of people who feel awkward every time they have to talk to someone face to face, more mental health diagnoses (which, let's face it, are merely a diversion from the "victim's" real problems and actually fuels the stigma surrounding them)
One of my lecturers has done research on the benefits of social media for mental health sufferers.
I'm not sure about cowardice, but I do think it's led to poorer social skills. I blame smartphones more than anything else, though.

In the US at least, I've noticed that younger people are always staring at their phones, and in most social situations... everything is becoming highly structured. I'm seeing more and more gatherings where people insist on holding and passing around some kind of stick to imply it's their turn to speak, and they all get really mad if someone speaks out of turn. In fact, I see people texting each other while they're in the same room together, and often just sticking their earbuds into their ears while other people are talking because they don't care what anyone else has to say.

The attitude I notice is that people really just don't want to deal with each other anymore. They have a very narrow circle of friends that may not even be physically near where they live. They're detached from their communities. Most people do nothing but complain about the people that live around them, if they mention them at all. They matter only in a negative way.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by jeremy1988
I'm not sure about cowardice, but I do think it's led to poorer social skills. I blame smartphones more than anything else, though.

In the US at least, I've noticed that younger people are always staring at their phones, and in most social situations... everything is becoming highly structured. I'm seeing more and more gatherings where people insist on holding and passing around some kind of stick to imply it's their turn to speak, and they all get really mad if someone speaks out of turn. In fact, I see people texting each other while they're in the same room together, and often just sticking their earbuds into their ears while other people are talking because they don't care what anyone else has to say.

The attitude I notice is that people really just don't want to deal with each other anymore. They have a very narrow circle of friends that may not even be physically near where they live. They're detached from their communities. Most people do nothing but complain about the people that live around them, if they mention them at all. They matter only in a negative way.


Not just young people. Every day I get on the subway, literally everyone on the subway has their face glued to their phones, not paying even slightest bit of attention to what's going on around them.
Original post by Nightmare Abyss
Not just young people. Every day I get on the subway, literally everyone on the subway has their face glued to their phones, not paying even slightest bit of attention to what's going on around them.


Yeah, it's the same on DART trains here. I would never be able to do that because I don't trust the people around me enough to zone out, but most people just don't care.

I think people just feel so little connection to their neighbors and their society these days that they have to form online communities. People just don't have anything in common anymore, and no one really wants to speak openly about anything in real life.
I think (And i have no empirical data or evidence to back this up) that social media will eat away at peoples mental health... more and more people will struggle with depression / body disorders / social anxiety due to it. Epidemic on the horizon
i think also...

the world's leaders never had to spend a minute reading their social media accounts, they opened them just to "prove they exist". They clearly know what they need to do to remain professional in this world. Unlike the majority of youngsters. Hook them on social media and they become unable to think.
Original post by jeremy1988
Yeah, it's the same on DART trains here. I would never be able to do that because I don't trust the people around me enough to zone out, but most people just don't care.

I think people just feel so little connection to their neighbors and their society these days that they have to form online communities. People just don't have anything in common anymore, and no one really wants to speak openly about anything in real life.


Its not that people dont have anything in common, its just that its easier and better (In most ways) to meet these people online
Original post by Betelgeuse-
I think (And i have no empirical data or evidence to back this up) that social media will eat away at peoples mental health... more and more people will struggle with depression / body disorders / social anxiety due to it. Epidemic on the horizon


Good, then I shall make another unfounded claim that mental health is merely a convenient diversion for one's own failings in life. That once you claim you're "depressed" you become a slave to the happy pills. That "psychiatrist" you met doesn't care about you, she's busy ticking things off a list and finding you some "treatment" - the only "treatment" you need is the realisation that you F'ed up big time. Don't blame others for how you feel, not even "luck". Realise that if you have control of your life you will eventually become a person that you and everyone else can be satisfied with.
Original post by shawn_o1
Good, then I shall make another unfounded claim that mental health is merely a convenient diversion for one's own failings in life. That once you claim you're "depressed" you become a slave to the happy pills. That "psychiatrist" you met doesn't care about you, she's busy ticking things off a list and finding you some "treatment" - the only "treatment" you need is the realisation that you F'ed up big time. Don't blame others for how you feel, not even "luck". Realise that if you have control of your life you will eventually become a person that you and everyone else can be satisfied with.


Most of life is "luck" - Happy pills.. thats not quite how it works. How would you explain the people who take happy pills, recover and then no longer take them? Certaintly slave doesnt seem to fit
Original post by Betelgeuse-
Most of life is "luck" - Happy pills.. thats not quite how it works. How would you explain the people who take happy pills, recover and then no longer take them? Certaintly slave doesnt seem to fit


Look online and you'll find evidence that antidepressants are as effective as their placebos, in other words, they're a total waste of time - they're an artificial solution to an artificial problem.
Those you claim to have recovered taking antidepressants - it's not the antidepressants that cured them, it's whatever made them realise "I don't want to live this way anymore - I'm going to fight my problems and become a better person".
Original post by shawn_o1
Look online and you'll find evidence that antidepressants are as effective as their placebos, in other words, they're a total waste of time - they're an artificial solution to an artificial problem.
Those you claim to have recovered taking antidepressants - it's not the antidepressants that cured them, it's whatever made them realise "I don't want to live this way anymore - I'm going to fight my problems and become a better person".


I know many dispute anti depressants, wasnt quite aware there were depression doubters.

Depression exists I can assure you, though i understand why some choose to be sceptical given the weakness, excuse making generation we have now who think they have depression because they had a tough week
Original post by StudiousRoadman
which seems perfectly adapted to the cowardly manipulative female mind. Much better in the 90s when you could actually attempt to pull birds in a club or have a decent scrap.

So I agree with you mostly except for the 'cowardly manipulative female mind'. I believe that's stereotyping women way too much. I am female, and if I have a problem with someone I wouldn't be a coward, I would just confront them. Manipulation is disgusting and pathetic. I have fought guys before, mainly we were just kidding but I wouldn't hesitate to defend other people in a fight. So yeah...
Otherwise I really agree with you, that social media is just a way of uneducated people to have a rant and never face the consequences. I mean the internet in general is raising up a bunch of idiots, and it's actually becoming really hard not to slip into those ranks. Ok, I admit that sounds pretty harsh, obviously not everyone on the internet is an idiot, but what I mean is that technology is so mind destroying.
Original post by Seamus123
Social Media is a **** stirrers paradise. . People will say and do things they wouldn't dare do in a face-to-face situation.


What is also insufferable about it is it gives very opinionated, pompous nasty cowards a chance to politically propagandize, lie and ***** about people much more honest, courageous and talented who put themselves on the line. All with a nice helpin g of narcisstic self-congratulation. It's why Twitter is such a pain in the arse.
Life's better without social media.
The way social media has become a tool for 'outrage porn' and political propaganda is a major part of what annoys me about it. What better way to quickly spread rumours, innuendo and false information than through social media?

It's a breeding ground for professional victims, cowardly keyboard warriors and irritating activists who form mobs of 'justice' that will happily hurt the lives of people who dare upset their delicate sensibilities. All from the safe comfort of one's computer or phone screen.

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