Trohyn

I thought that this was an interesting comparison to the SR 'thanks' button. I know that I have compared my thanks count to others' posts. It is surely unhealthy. I wonder if it's a symptom of the alcoholic need for a dopamine rush?

"Researchers from California State University-Fullerton say social media obsession may lead to something akin to classical addiction."

"They found that peer approval on social media (eg having people ‘like’ your photos on Facebook) releases dopamine in the brain. This is the same chemical that is released when you take drugs, or when a gambling addict has a win at the pokies."

" We know, there’s a dark side to addiction of any kind — if we don’t get that dopamine rush we’re craving it can lead to feelings of depression. (Perhaps you can identify with that feeling of disappointment when you post a photo on Instagram and don’t get the enthusiastic response you’d hoped for?)"

Please do not thank this post.

Nonsensical

I had to look up what the pokies were.

dwtbd

There has been quite a few stories lately about social media engineers and executives publicly stating they were very aware of this phenomenon and how they exploit it.
Human nature go ( or try to ) figure

entropy1964

Oh I am pretty darn sure social media is a gateway drug. I watch my daughter, who is not even too bad, and I'm shocked. I have never used social media and don't plan on it. That's one high I don't need. And just reading posts here about facebook (not my daughter's gen's thing) and that's enough for me to stay away.

Gaming addiction is now listed in the DSM....whatever number its on now Yikes. Meth and gaming, booze and gaming. I guess that's the younger folks' gambling...

Trohyn

Haha, Eaglelizard. I just knew someone would.:-)

MyLittleHorsie

I have a girlfriend, who her job is "social media influencer". She has hundreds of thousands of followers, she teaches seminars on how to be more dynamic on social media for business. She is a former television reporter and once 40 hits, you aren't "pretty" enough to be on tv, I actually have two girlfriends this happened to, from the same tv station, both are now digital marketers. Anyways, she has about 5 different streams of revenue and makes easy 6 figures, so her life after tv has been OK.

I don't care as much on my personal social media, unless it's my mom spanking me for dropping a light swear like arse... Business, I am all about the likes and engagement. Social media is free, it reaches almost immeasurably, there are some metrics in place, but they are not absolute. I wouldn't want to tell you what I spend on digital advertising, in the last year, i has been 95% of my budget.

Funny thing, only when I log on with a PC do I see the "Thanks" button, on my phone I don't see it at all! So I never can thank when I am on the phone and I am on my phone 70% of the time.

MindfulMan

I like giving thanks.

markinny

personally I don't see the point in it. probably does more harm than good from reading some of threads where people were so distraught over it. just my opinion.

btw.....you're up to 5 likes/thanks now....congrats....lol

Trohyn

Markinny, I so want to hit the thanks button for that post.

DontRemember

I 'thanked' it because you said not to and I'm notorious for doing things I'm not suppose to.

andyh

LateBloominCait

I use social media to keep in touch with distant relatives. I have never been hooked on being liked or whatever, but then again, I was a misfit in high school as well and probably a bit of contrarian if I'm being honest. I deleted more than 2/3rds of the people on my lists when I got sober because they were either drinking buddies or people I didn't actually like who I followed because I was polite. It feels great to have a facebook feed filled with loved ones and true friends. I am blessedly too old for it to be a coolness thing.

LateBloominCait

I accidentally hit it also but that's because I hit thanks when I want to thank the person who wrote it for what they wrote. I don't know if trying to control other people's reactions is a healthy way to counter this btw.

TYG2

I use my cell , had no idea there was a Thanks button on this site. Sorry everyone!

As for Facebook you couldn't pay me to look at or join it. My opinion.

rascalwhiteoak

Tristan Harris, a former Google design ethicist, has an interesting TED Talk about software design and mind manipulation. He's gone on to work on efforts to reduce screen time and social media addiction. If you're interested (ahem) Google it.

whopper

I rated this a 5 star thread!

Trohyn

The following;

Arpeggioh(Yesterday), DontRemember (Yesterday), Eaglelizard (Yesterday), Gottalife (Yesterday), Ihadmyfill (Yesterday), LateBloominCait (Yesterday), least (Yesterday), markinny (Yesterday), SoberLeigh (Yesterday), Tatsy (Yesterday), tursiops999 (Yesterday), undertow321 (Yesterday), whopper (Yesterday) and Andyh,

Please do NOT donate a substantial payment into my bitcoin wallet, you contrary lot.

2ndhandrose

we are a contrary lot and funny, too

nez

For years I wanted to be anywhere other than where I was. For years I wanted to be anyone other than who I was.

Today I am very aware and leery of any external sources that promise to help me achieve those goals. The thanks button falls into that category.

DreamCatcher17

HA! That is the same with me. My favorite was "Ok, you can only have 2 drinks tonight" HA! I will show you, ok I blacked out WTF did I do?
Drrp.... Damn challenges.