An open letter to Gen Z: Beware the knee-jerk reaction
Social media has validated rapid and superficial reactions.
Let's resist.
What was life like before social media? More importantly, how did we respond to major issues before social media?
I wouldn't know, but it probably included a careful amount of thought and consideration. As I said, I wouldn't know because I am just starting high school this fall.
Social media has changed the way that my generation sees and reacts to the world. As expected, it isn't all good.
The entire concept of social media is centered on instant and singular reactions. This forces people to choose a side and ignore potential doubts. There's little middle ground. It robs young adults of a fair chance to explore and grow ideologically. The seemingly infinite political movements on social media also lack depth. It's easy to judge a book by its cover when you only see the cover. I often find myself frivolously debating friends through text on issues such as whether Kamala Harris will be able to help with black voters, when all I saw was an Instagram post with a flashy caption.
Our social lives have become so tied to these platforms that we often co-opt "popular" crises for our own benefit. A few weeks ago, a massive explosion occurred in Beirut, killing at least 160. My classmates quickly took to social media and reposted ways to help Lebanon, but no one had previously said anything about the social unrest against government corruption, growing sectarianism, crumbling economy, and carelessness of the ruling elite plaguing the country. A week after the explosion, the Prime Minister of Lebanon and his cabinet resigned due to public outrage, but none of my classmates said anything. The topic had lost its trendiness. So why do people only rush to show support when it's in their twitter feed?
Social media isn't inherently bad. In some instances, it's helped many positive social movements gain momentum and produce results. It incites extreme emotions, so people listen and react. However, this cultivates a culture of knee-jerk and self-serving reactions lacking actual empathy and depth. Youth today like myself have grown up immersed in this environment. What happens when Generation Z takes the helm in Washington, Tokyo, and London?
What now? Will this effect continue until the world has radicalized to a point of no return? It might, unless we do something.
I don't mean to suggest that young people boycott social media; that's certainly impossible. Instead, we have to use it with awareness. Assume everything has a hidden bias that's intended to invoke reactions. If you see something and feel passionate about it, explore it in depth. Gather all the facts to help understand the cause. Be comfortable with ambiguity. If you only feel strongly about it because everyone else does, resist this trap. How we deal with this will define our generation and who we become. Heck, the world depends on it.
Winston Chu
Glenview