Brainwashed: Part 8
Part 8 – Social Media, Influencers, Addictive Media
More about Societal Pressures
You may be correct, gentle reader, that in the prior parts of this ad hoc look at controlling minds much of what we have discussed has been some form of “societal pressure.” Today we will get just a bit deeper into the broader society, as promised, with a look at social media. We touched upon social media in Part 7, as related to the Fourth Estate. Now let’s take a direct dive.
Social Media
Many of us love our social media. We scroll through and see what friends are saying (sometimes they are actual friends, many times acquaintances, sometimes effectively strangers). We may form our own opinions based upon what we read – posted, reposted, or “liked” by those in our circles.
What I am about to say about our youth may apply just as well to us adults.
We know that our tweens and teens – and many times those younger – suffer exaggerated peer pressure through social media. While back in the day there might have been rumors, or notes taped to lockers, or snubs for dates, or outright shaming, or what have you, now there is semi-anonymous or even direct online shaming. It is twenty-four-hour tension, and it potentially toxic. I would not want to be a teenager now.
Additionally, they and our twenty-somethings are obtaining their news of the day from those same social media. The feed that is designed particularly for them gives them news – civil, social, or otherwise – that it “thinks” they want. It is tailored for them, it excludes other news of the day, or opposing viewpoints, or general interest stories. And it is weighted toward items that others have been moved to snarl at or comment upon, often in negative screeds or mocking derision. And the source of these items may be shrouded in purposeful anonymity. Thus the young persons come to think that the state of the whole world is pretty awful.
This is one of the more extreme examples of messing with someone’s mind, I think: to put them into a state of outcastedness, gloom, and doom, and just leave them there. And to keep adding to it all. Where is the redemption? Where is the solace, where is the peace? Where is the escape? Besides the ads telling them how to get fatter lips.
Adults created these social platforms. Shame on us all. This is no way to treat our children. Phones are great for communicating, and we are very glad that our children have them on their persons, for safety and security and for convenience. But they should not be instruments of torture.
Our children are not replaceable.
And it turns out that we adults are susceptible, too.
Influencers
Meanwhile, another medium has cropped up, the realm of “influencers.” There are the commonly known (among the generations) influencers such as Marie Kondo, who tells us to throw things away if they do not “spark joy.” (I personally disagree with that, as what sparks joy today may be different from what sparks joy tomorrow. If I have pitched tomorrow’s joy, where does that leave me?)
There are a slew of these folks, who make millions and millions of dollars “influencing.” (I wonder whether they put that on their résumés.) hey influence not only by their content, but by product recommendations. Apparently, according to Forbes magazine and others, a sizeable portion of consumers will rely on their recommendations.
This is not John Wayne advertising Corn Flakes. This is a much larger market share, with more specifically targeted reach and frequency. In other words, they are sponsored because they reach so many people it becomes cost effective to advertise with them. had never heard of PewDiePie (real name Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg) or Dude Perfect (a comedy group), so apparently they have had no influence on me. Yet they are big in the influencer world.
There are also some serious influencers, who sway public opinion in ways to which we should pay attention. There is, for instance, Theo Von (real name Theodor Capitani von Kurnatowski III, a comic and actor), whose interviews one can view on YouTube or wherever else. He has interviewed former President Donald Trump, he has interviewed Senator Bernie Sanders, and hundreds more. He seems to be rather pliable in his interviewing, he lets the interviewee take the conversation in any desired direction, which is wonderful air time for a politician.
And there is also Adin Ross (it is his real name, age 23, this is apparently his only job), who seems to me to be totally clueless. Maybe one must be a member of his generation to identify with him. He also has interviewed Donald Trump, and it is an education listening to it, as it seems to me to be entirely a superficial discussion. In fact, they seem to go in depth into the superficial.
What are the qualifications of these influencers? Are they trying to mold our thoughts, or are they simply the conduit for others to go after our minds? I feel guilty when I spent time watching my favorite television program (Finding Your Roots), but folks spend hours and hours listening to these influencers.
There are influencers from various sectors: one can look them up by searching “Political Influencers” or “Christian Influencers” or “Jewish Influencers” or “Palestinian Influencers” or “Russian Influencers.” There are “Cleaning Influencers” and “Grilling Influencers” and “Baking Influencers.” There are even “Upholstery Influencers.” Apparently one may just hang up a shingle and announce that one is an influencer.
It is almost as if we are not supposed to make up our own minds anymore: we listen to these influencers and that is where we learn the news (as they see it) and where we are meant to learn our own opinions! (I prefer to do otherwise, thank you, even though our options for the Fourth Estate may be dwindling. I think you should do otherwise, too, but I guess I would have to be an official influencer to suggest that to you.)
Where are the Falsehood Meters when we need them? Where are the gauges that tell us exactly how many people believe what the current posting implies, and why? We seem to have gone way beyond what Snopes can handle. So where is common sense? And now we also have to worry about fake artificial-intelligence-generated posts. Next we may see (because the computers are reading what you are seeing right now) a video of influencer Abraham Lincoln, going on about using arsenic-laced brocade for a sofa. Did you receive that video link yet?
It all feels so hopeless, because when we ourselves break away from it, we will have less chance to influence (or to uninfluence) those who are believing what they see.
Preying on Addictions
At one point in my life I was “addicted” to my favorite candy. Every day after lunch I simply had to buy a pack of NECCO wafers, and I would consume them while working, over the course of the afternoon.
This was a very simple, low-grade addiction. Possibly the lowest. Probably not even an addiction in anyone’s official manuals: they might refer to it as a strong habit.
As we were discussing social media, it occurred to me that that also is a form of addiction. We all know of many sorts of addictions – even to our favorite television shows. Many folks will not schedule anything in their lives during the time when Jeopardy! is on tv, for instance. Folks get similarly addicted to their scrolling feeds.
It turns out – in all seriousness – that various pharmaceuticals that are highly addictive may have been pushed on physicians to get them prescribed, and now we have a huge number of persons becoming addicted. Was this mind control perpetrated upon the doctors, complicated by chemical control of our minds after consuming the drugs? Is this an example of monetary gain for some through mind control of others? If the pharmaceuticals actually had been the best thing since sliced bread, would that have made a difference?
There also are those who work beneficially to use mind control to reprogram our brains against such addictions. Some are using surgery to control our brains, some are using ultrasound, some are using psychiatric therapy. Some are using other drugs to divert those who are addicted.
This are all additional ways that we are allowing our brains to be controlled. I just think we ought to be aware – for better and for worse.
