The Dictatorship Of Likes

Social networks are here to stay. This new form of communication has completely revolutionized the way we understand the world. In fact, in some respects, we have gained great advantages over the past. However, for some people this has come at a great price : the beginning of the likes dictatorship .

And is that today,  we are more aware than ever that others pay attention to us. With the rise of social networks like Instagram or Facebook, it seems that if we don’t have hundreds of followers, nobody values ​​us. This generates great emotional discomfort in a large part of the population.

Therefore, in this article we will talk about the negative effects of this dictatorship of likes . However, first we have to understand  why social networks are capable of generating so much addiction.

Why social media is so addictive

Human beings are completely social animals. One of our basic instincts is the search for acceptance. According to evolutionary psychology, our ancestors needed their group to survive. Therefore, those who did not pay attention to the effect they caused on others died without leaving children.

Because of this, we come from others: from those who were constantly aware of what the rest thought of them. Thus,  we have inherited the instinct to try to please others. In times past, this meant having a good relationship with neighbors or close friends. However, today, social networks have completely changed the paradigm.

Now, a kind of competition has been established to see who is more popular on Facebook or Instagram. The dictatorship of the likes that these platforms have generated  makes us obsess over looking better than others. Thus, we compare ourselves with the rest, feeling fatal if the life of others seems more attractive.

Some studies show that a  large part of the young population is addicted to social networks. In part, this is because receiving a  like  in a photo activates the same brain reward mechanisms as kissing someone we care about or hearing a compliment from another.

The dictatorship of likes generates new disorders

Due to this similarity between online and real care, our brain is not able to differentiate between them in some aspects. However, the biggest problem with addiction to validation coming from the Internet is that everyone seems to be more attractive than us .

By its very nature, the web allows us to see the most striking people in the world. It can be the most attractive, the most different, the most popular … But in general, when someone reaches great fame on the Internet, it  is because they are an exceptional person in some sense.

The problem is that, when looking at our Facebook or Instagram profile,  we are comparing ourselves with those people who are well above the average. Our life, by contrast, seems gray and dull. We have the feeling that we need to have incredible experiences every two by three to keep up.

Thus, a large number of addictions and problems arise. For example, many people suffer from the famous  fear of missing out . This cognitive distortion  leads us to think that everyone else has more interesting lives than ours.

Others, on the other hand,  are obsessed with showing the world that they are the best. Thus, they are constantly worried about uploading photos of their last trip, a spectacular meeting with friends or that new  fun hobby they are practicing. All this, without being able to really enjoy these situations.

How do we overcome these problems?

Unfortunately, a large number of people have fallen into the clutches of the likes dictatorship  . However,  this damaging trend can be reversed. To do this, you just have to follow these steps:

• Accept that  the lives of others are not really as it appears on their social networks. We all try to put our best face on the Internet. However, the truth is that most of the time is invested in daily tasks, the same for everyone.

• Disconnect from  networks. Spending too much time browsing can make addiction symptoms worse. Therefore, reserve a space each day in which you are away from mobile phones, computer and other electronic devices.
• Look for sources of internal validation. On many occasions, we want others to tell us how “cool” we are because we don’t feel good about ourselves. Therefore, if you manage to improve your self-esteem, many of the problems of the likes dictatorship will  simply disappear.

Of course, the road to being independent from social media is long and full of challenges. However,  regaining your self-confidence is one of the best things you can do for yourself.