Recent events, like the banning of TikTok and the sudden rise of RedNote, made me want to revisit a documentary that, in many ways, predicted it all: The Social Dilemma. This hybrid documentary-fiction explores the human and societal pitfalls of social media, with tech experts – often the very creators of these platforms – sounding the alarm about the monsters they’ve unleashed.
A Personal Relationship with Social Media
Before diving into the subject, let me set the stage. I’m not a big fan of social media. No Facebook, no TikTok, no Snapchat. My use of social networks is limited to 40-60 minutes a day, and even that is mostly for work. That might explain why some parts of the documentary initially felt… let’s say, a bit alarmist to me.
Honestly, my first thought was: “If it’s toxic, why not just delete the app? It’s not like we’re dealing with a nuclear reactor!” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the heart of the problem goes far beyond technicalities. What “The Social Dilemma” captures so well is that the real threat doesn’t lie in the algorithms or the servers. It lies in our relationship with these tools, and above all, in our addiction to notifications.
Addiction and the Complexity of Human Behavior
We often hear things like: “Life was better before. We’d go to bars, meet people, and talk.” Sure, maybe. But let’s not forget that back then, some people weren’t even allowed into those bars. Minorities were often excluded, and kids who weren’t popular were invisible. Social media, for all its flaws, has allowed marginalized communities to find each other, to create spaces where they can belong, no matter how niche or unconventional their identities may be.
This is where the documentary becomes truly fascinating. It doesn’t just point fingers at addiction or notifications. It raises the critical issue of suggestions and predictions. These ever-evolving algorithms understand our tastes and weaknesses better than we do ourselves. And that’s precisely where the trap lies. How can we resist a constant stream of content meticulously designed to capture our attention?
So, Where’s the Real Problem?
In my view, the problem isn’t purely technological. It’s largely human. Why are we so fascinated by videos of people eating 100 liters of raspberries? Why do we spend hours consuming content that, in the grand scheme of things, adds nothing to our lives?
The answer, I believe, lies in our relationship with time. We’ve lost sight of how short and precious life is. Yet we waste it in endless scrolls. It’s not technology stealing our time – it’s us willingly giving it away, without even questioning it.
A Necessary Reflection
Revisiting “The Social Dilemma,” I realized that this documentary confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: our dependence on social media isn’t inevitable. It reflects a human craving for attention, connection, and validation. Instead of blaming technology, perhaps we should start by questioning our own behaviors and reevaluating how much value we place on our time.