The Social Dilemma — An Important Documentary Film

[Troy]

I think this film is worth watching.  Maybe more of us will consider deleting our social media accounts... 

 

We tweet, we like, and we share— but what are the consequences of our growing dependence on social media? As digital platforms increasingly become a lifeline to stay connected, Silicon Valley insiders reveal how social media is reprogramming civilization by exposing what’s hiding on the other side of your screen.

 

 

The world has long recognized the positive applications of social media, from its role in empowering protesters to speak out against oppression during the Arab Spring uprisings almost a decade ago, to serving an instrumental role in fighting for equity and justice today. And in 2020, during an astonishing global pandemic, social media has become our lifeline to stay in touch with loved ones, as well as proving to be an asset for mobilizing civil rights protests. However, the system that connects us also invisibly controls us. The collective lack of understanding about how these platforms actually operate has led to hidden and often harmful consequences to society—consequences that are becoming more and more evident over time, and consequences that, the subjects in The Social Dilemma suggest, are an existential threat to humanity.

 

The Social Dilemma is a powerful exploration of the disproportionate impact that a relatively small number of engineers in Silicon Valley have over the way we think, act, and live our lives. The film deftly tackles an underlying cause of our viral conspiracy theories, teenage mental health issues, rampant misinformation and political polarization, and makes these issues visceral, understandable, and urgent. Through a unique combination of documentary investigation and entertaining narrative drama, award-winning filmmakers Jeff Orlowski (Chasing Ice, Chasing Coral) and Larissa Rhodes (Chasing Coral) have once again exposed the invisible in a manner that is both enlightening and harrowing as they disrupt the disrupters by unveiling the hidden machinations behind everyone’s favorite social media and search platforms. 

 

The film features compelling interviews with high-profile tech whistleblowers and innovation leaders including Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology; the co-inventor of the Facebook “Like” button, Justin Rosenstein; Tim Kendall, former President of Pinterest and former Director of Monetization at Facebook; Cathy O’Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction; Rashida Richardson, Director of Policy at the AI Now Institute, and many others. Demonstrating how social media affects consumers on a personal level, these fascinating insider insights are seamlessly woven into a captivating narrative, including Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men), that illuminates the very real consequences these seemingly innocent technologies can have on our everyday lives.

[Pioneer1]

I don't have a lot of social media accounts to delete.

 

I'm not much on participating in social media except for for financial purposes or some sort of direct gain or interest (like looking for a woman....lol).  But just posting on social media all day and all night talking trash to people most of whom I don't even know....no.
 

I guess because I'm from an older generation I don't understand it.  But I've met plenty of people my age and older (usually women) who absolutely LOVE to tell all of their business on Twitter and Instagram.  Everytime a baby is born or somebody gets a new boyfriend they post their pictures and personal information all over social media.

I just don't understand it.

 

People have asked me why I don't show my pictures on the internet more often.  My question is...for what?  Why do you need to know what I look like, where I live, who I'm sleeping with, what kind of vehicle I drive, or what I eat for breakfast in the morning?
I wouldn't mind giving more personal information if there was a strong monetary incentive....I'm talking TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars.  But to just put my business out there for kicks and giggles??? Nah....

[Troy]

Well you apparently are immune to the tactics used by social media @Pioneer1 which I think is a good thing. I did not start out that way, and spent several years posting all kinds of personal shit on Facebook in particular before I got wise.

 

I agree women seem to be very enamored of the social media.  2/3’s of the people who visit AALBC are female too. 
 

Tic-toc which was apparently designed for young people is used by people my age who scroll through the funny videos and all sorts of things. I understand why people do it but it doesn’t serve us well in the long run.

 

I did just sign up for this platform, called Clubhouse, where are you just talk like in a conference call. LI’ve only used it enough to see how it works. It is an interesting idea. I don’t see how it will be monetized it yet. But like the others once revenue needs to be generated it will start to suck.

 

At some point it seems likely that websites will go to way of the dinosaur. I think that will be a shame because as the Internet coalesces into sites run by Google Amazon and Facebook the web will become far less interesting.

 

 

[Pioneer1]

Troy

 

I was thinking about Clubhouse, I'm not sure when I didn't mention it.

I know quite a few people who are really getting into the Clubhouse app.  Again, why?

I just don't understand their mentality for doing so.

 

People have gotten so afraid to go to a mall or a library and strike up a conversation with strangers because of shyness.
These apps take advantage of that by giving them a platform where they can "be free" to be themselves, which actually leads to more fakery.

 

On top of that, Clubhouse tells you that some of the conversations you THINK a private are actually being recorded by them!

You don't have freedom of speech.

Just like people have been charged with crimes over Twitter and facebook, you should expect for more to be charged with crimes they allegedly committed on Clubhouse.

 

These are nothing more than traps.