“Mass Hallucination Baby, ill Education Baby”: The effects of short video content/reels on people

What condition will we be in, when we finally snap out of this Tiktok Loop

If you told me that in my lifetime I would live to see an entire generation with their heads down stuck in a digital world, I would have never believed you. If you told me that social media addiction would become a norm, I would have never believed you. I can’t help but wonder how these endless video loops will affect this generation. I know many people still live a normal life outside the digital realms what I call the organic memory generation, maybe the last of a dying breed.

The full effects of social media on people are still yet to be fully understood. Studies have been done on the relationship between social media and dopamine, mental health, education and the influence of elections. We have questioned these effects but could not keep long enough attention spans to create a new situation. Algorithms are moving us from one topic to another at lightning speed, while concurrently running our finances, media, relationships and jobs. Our destinies are being determined.

I wonder how the endless supply of short video content will affect the brain, knowledge acquisition general health and thinking. The endless stream of short video content has me concerned for our generation, what will this hyper-consumption do to us and our kids? Will they still have strong a memory? Will they have the motivation to pursue their goals? Will they be able to still think critically? or will they thrive?

“Good kid Maad City”

I am an avid listener of hip-hop, and yes what does hip-hop have to do with this? Well, the title of this article was inspired by a song written by Kendrick Lamar. I will use his song to explore the influence of social media on people. In his song “Good Kid” he describes how it was growing up in tough circumstances, and finding that his options are limited. He is surrounded by gangsters/drug dealers and police, but none of these parties are his friends. He can see this, there is a clear dysfunction in his environment, but he can’t get out of it, he is stuck. He also alludes to the fact that he is a “Good Kid” by nature but is stuck in a “Maad City”. In the song, they keep on repeating the following “mass hallucination baby, ill education baby”, alluding to the environment.

I can’t help but draw parallels to the current generation dilemma in the digital world, by nature everyone is a “good kid” but now they are stuck in a “maad city”(digital world). With the drug dealers(tech companies) constantly handing out drugs(Tiktoks & Reels) everyone is constantly on a dopamine high, glued to their phones like zombies. The police(Governments) are only worried about national security and maintaining their power, not the well-being of the people. Just like Kendrick, many people don’t see a choice, they are forced to participate in an environment where no one is looking out for them.

The era of “mass hallucination and ill education”, where thoughts, culture and opinions are controlled by algorithms even education.

The drug bosses(tech companies) do not want their kids or family members anywhere near the drugs(TikTok & reels) though. This is because they know the effects, the “mass hallucination and ill education” is only reserved only for the public.

The drug bosses(tech companies) even hire the best chemists(Psychologists) to mix the perfect drugs(Tiktoks & Reels) with the perfect dosage and drug release(algorithms & endless scroll). preying on your core motivations and interests Moving you from self-knowledge, moving you away from who you are, moving you from being human.

For the younger generation, their phones are already an extension of them. They have never had the opportunity to live an organic life.

There have been huge debates on TikTok being banned in the US the government is thinking about it from a safety and data perspective. But I’m thinking of this more broadly how social media will impact people?

Mass Hallucination Baby: The effects of short video content reels on people

“Our minds aren’t passive observers, simply perceiving reality as it is. Our minds actually change reality,”
Alia Crum

The nature of TikToks and Instagram reels is they offer short-form content, which is on-demand and designed to keep you glued to your screen. while you’re glued to your screen you’re not just a passive observer, something is changing and that is exactly the point. The information consumed can significantly influence the users’ understanding and opinions.

Dopamine Overload

The excessive consumption of short-form video content can lead to an overload of dopamine.

Dopamine is known as the feel-good neurotransmitter, a chemical that moves information between neurons. The brain releases it when we experience something pleasurable as part of a reward system that reinforces the behaviour that led to that pleasure. This endless stream leaves people depleted making it challenging for individuals to concentrate on other activities. It’s no surprise that many young people are heavily engaged with this content, and struggling with addiction.

“To ask the right question is already half the solution of a problem.”
C.G Jung

Goodbye Critical thinking, Hello Bias

Social media algorithms can amplify biases, the way this works is when a user engages with certain content, the platform will keep on showing them that type of content, it’s a sort of reinforcement of your own beliefs and opinions.

On the other hand, Critical thinking is the ability to interpret, evaluate and analyse facts and information that are available, to form judgement or decide if something is right or wrong. This includes being able to identify biases, which means knowing or understanding that people or things may have unfair prejudice or influence the way we see things.

This ongoing exposure to the same perspective will limit the diversity of thought in society, how can you think of other thoughts when you have a constant supply of information reinforcing the same thing?

My attention span, I can’t focus

Reels and TikToks have visually driven content, coming in at breakneck speeds the mind does not have a chance to snap out of it. There is minimal cognitive effort required, which discourages proper processing of information or any reflective thinking. This can be potentially harmful to cognitive development affecting memory and attention spans.

Learning: goodbye depth no more depth

Over the years we have seen an increasing dependence on TikTok and Reels as a primary source of information poses a challenge to traditional learning and intellectual inquiry. Educational content that is short-form and simplified often lacks depth unlike traditional learning which includes structured curriculums, with foundational learning and a systematic approach to learning.

Misinformation: What is real and what is not?

The potential for mass misinformation on these platforms is a major concern, in an environment where sensationalism is likely to go viral, there is a risk of misleading a lot of people. It is already becoming a bigger challenge to discern whether things are real or not. With 400 elections happening this year, democratic processes will be affected. The capacity for misinformation to influence public opinion and shape social narratives is a significant issue.

Final thoughts: what am I supposed to do?

But how do you tell your child to escape their addictions when society won’t let them, they disconnect and they quickly lose friendships, and social status, they lose those things and they limit their social mobility.

They’re addicted but the drug dealers( tech companies) keep offering them more drugs for free. So what do you do when you’re stuck in a loop?

To self-correct people already use meditation and time offline, but the escape is only for a little while. If people from the organic generation can’t even go to the bathroom without their devices, how are those that were born with devices supposed to escape?

What is the incentive of the drug dealer(companies) to stop with the drugs when they’re making millions on their drugs? The police (governments) have let the drug dealers do as they please for so long that by the time they can’t even make laws and regulations, because they have little understanding. The only thing they understand is that they might lose power if society is under someone else’s spell.

I’ve just painted a gloomy picture, I know I’m not against technological advancement I know there are many advantages. But we need to learn when we make mistakes, and we always need to improve our societies and well-being, and we need to ask ourselves the right questions.

“Want to reconnect with your elations this is your station” What to do if you’re reading this

If you’re a parent keep limited time on devices for your children and yourself it’s affecting you too
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur build platforms that prioritise well-being and balance
If you’re reading this article ask yourself how this short-form content is affecting you, and how you can start to live a better life
If you’re a government representative it’s time to keep up with what’s happening in technology, and by the way you need young people more than ever.
If you work in tech companies remember you can make a change from the inside

References

https://news.stanford.edu/2018/06/11/four-ways-human-mind-shapes-reality/

https://www.coursera.org/articles/critical-thinking-skills

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/dopamine

Smith, J. (2020). The Impact of Social Media Scrolling on Productivity.

Jones, A. (2021). Dopamine and Social Media: Understanding the Pleasure-Seeking Behavior.

Kendrick Lamar, Pharell Williams (2012) - Good kid Maad City

Dr. Sarah Lee, Psychologist. (Personal communication, September 2021). Insights on the Effects of Social Media on Mental Health.