In modern society, we can see the pervasive influence of social media on both opportunities and challenges, mirroring the protagonist Emil Sinclair's struggle in Herman Hesse's "Demian" to maintain authentic connections amidst societal pressures. While social media platforms offer avenues for self-expression, social bonding, education, and leisure activities, they also pose risks to mental health, privacy, and authenticity. By acknowledging this complexity and prioritizing the user’s well-being, society should navigate the role of social media in fostering genuine connections and personal growth while mitigating its negative effects.
There are various ways in which social media provides genuine connections and personal growth for teens. According …show more content…
We can see this in how people identify themselves in reality versus on social media. One woman asserts that she is “the same person on social media and when you meet me,” while another man said that he doesn’t think anyone would ever "know the real me from social media, like probably 25% [of] me”(Source D). From this evidence, we can see questionable effects of social media on how adults identify themselves, serving to either disrupt or strengthen self-identity. There have also been concerns about content exposed to children, as some in the survey commented that the system currently used on social media “to flag videos or label inappropriate content is broken and needs to be investigated,” and wished for social media businesses to “be more aware of the mental health aspects of social media”(Source D). Dr. Eshleman of the Cleveland Clinic also asserts that “It’s important to realize that with high-tech phones and various apps, it’s much easier to snap ‘the perfect picture,’ which is likely not a true representation of someone’s appearance”(source C). Endless problems result from flawed or inappropriate content on social media, especially because children are exposed to social media content from a very early age. According to the Cleveland Clinic, although most social media platforms set the minimum age to 13 years, “nearly 40% of children 8 to 12 years old and 95% of children 13 to 17 years old use social media apps”(Source C). Not only would the early usage hinder the creativity and logical process children could develop from a young age, but they could also “double their risk of depression and anxiety”(Source C). Due to some unhealthy methods of posting and sharing on social media, young children can easily experience “body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and low self-esteem”(Source C). Content on social media, including untrue representations of
There are various ways in which social media provides genuine connections and personal growth for teens. According …show more content…
We can see this in how people identify themselves in reality versus on social media. One woman asserts that she is “the same person on social media and when you meet me,” while another man said that he doesn’t think anyone would ever "know the real me from social media, like probably 25% [of] me”(Source D). From this evidence, we can see questionable effects of social media on how adults identify themselves, serving to either disrupt or strengthen self-identity. There have also been concerns about content exposed to children, as some in the survey commented that the system currently used on social media “to flag videos or label inappropriate content is broken and needs to be investigated,” and wished for social media businesses to “be more aware of the mental health aspects of social media”(Source D). Dr. Eshleman of the Cleveland Clinic also asserts that “It’s important to realize that with high-tech phones and various apps, it’s much easier to snap ‘the perfect picture,’ which is likely not a true representation of someone’s appearance”(source C). Endless problems result from flawed or inappropriate content on social media, especially because children are exposed to social media content from a very early age. According to the Cleveland Clinic, although most social media platforms set the minimum age to 13 years, “nearly 40% of children 8 to 12 years old and 95% of children 13 to 17 years old use social media apps”(Source C). Not only would the early usage hinder the creativity and logical process children could develop from a young age, but they could also “double their risk of depression and anxiety”(Source C). Due to some unhealthy methods of posting and sharing on social media, young children can easily experience “body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and low self-esteem”(Source C). Content on social media, including untrue representations of