The Consequences of Mindless Media

By Rohail Kahn and Kyle Chan

In today’s world, social media seems to follow us wherever we go. Whether it’s Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, social media has become a necessity for many teenagers and young adults. However, its detrimental effect on mental health is rarely discussed and has affected many students across the school. But what makes social media such an addictive platform in the first place?

Compared to other applications, social media dominates the field of screen time usage for teenagers. In a poll of students at the School, over 60 percent of responders admitted that they are addicted to social media. While this may seem irrelevant to one’s mental health, social media designers critically focus on creating many technical tricks and factors to keep you hooked on the app. Instant gratification, through the form of liking posts or scrolling through short videos, is successful in keeping users on the app with these short spurts of satisfaction. Even when not using the apps, constant notifications entice users to get back on it. An anonymous sophomore stated, “Over the summer, I deleted Instagram to cool down for a bit, but then I downloaded it back because I love it so much and it’s irresistible.” 

While it is addictive, there is no doubt social media can have positive impacts on young students’ lives. Sophomore Shrey Kanji believes it “brings people together; I can talk and interact with my friends from basically anywhere.” Its capabilities stretch far beyond personal use; it’s also a platform for advocacy and change that attracts its younger viewers. 

However, social media can also prey on student’s mental health. Junior Ebube Okereke mentioned, “As a young woman in today’s society, social media perpetuates a certain body type that you have to be in order to look pretty.” This continuous comparison not only impacts young student’s self-esteem, but also perpetuates harsh stereotypes about what bodies should look like in an unrealistic view. This idea of a singular, perfect body can create detrimental norms for many developing teenagers at the School. 

Stereotyping different bodies is one of the many ways we compare ourselves to social media’s unrealistic standards. From someone’s flawless Instagram post to a vlogger’s exciting adventure, social media creates an image of a “perfect life” that everyone on social media attains. As a result, it makes young students feel unfulfilled with their current lifestyle. 

In a world filled with technology running our lives, social media has become a part of all of our lives. Whether you’re scrolling through Tiktok or looking through someone’s instagram posts, just remember; while these platforms may be a window of comfort into other’s lives, your journey and life is what matters most.