brainrot; why gen z has become a desensitized generation

Summary

El texto explora cómo la generación Z ha crecido con medios digitales que ofrecen gratificación instantánea, lo que ha llevado a una sociedad que busca resultados rápidos y a menudo se siente abrumada por la cantidad de contenido consumido. Esto ha generado un fenómeno conocido como 'cerebro podrido', una sensación de agotamiento mental y desensibilización ante la sobrecarga de información. Además, la comparación constante en redes sociales y la exposición a tragedias y eventos negativos han llevado a una fatiga de compasión y a una desconexión emocional con el mundo real.

Takeaways

• 🌐 La generación Z ha crecido con tecnología que ofrece recompensas inmediatas, lo que ha llevado a una cultura de satisfacción instantánea.
• 📺 La expectativa de resultados inmediatos ha penetrado en casi todos los aspectos de la vida diaria, creando una sensación constante de urgencia inmediata.
• 📱 La revolución de Internet ha transformado la forma en que accedemos y consumimos contenido, con información a un simple clic.
• 📺 El consumo de medios ha cambiado drásticamente, pasando de la anticipación semanal de episodios a la inmediatez de streaming servicios.
• 🐵 El concepto de satisfacción instantánea se relaciona con la necesidad de cumplir deseos inmediatamente, lo que puede afectar nuestra toma de decisiones.
• 🧠 La charla de Tim Urban sobre la procrastinación y la 'mono de satisfacción instantánea' ilustra cómo la búsqueda del placer inmediato puede distraernos de metas a largo plazo.
• 📉 La sensación de 'brainrot' o agotamiento mental se debe al consumo constante de contenido sin descanso, llevando a una desensibilización y una sensación de vacío.
• 📊 El contenido sensacionalista y chocante se ha vuelto moneda corriente en las plataformas de medios sociales, lo que nos ha vuelto desensibilizados y a veces, empáticos.
• 🌐 La generación Z se enfrenta a una 'compasión fatiga' debido al constante consumo de noticias traumáticas y sensacionalistas en línea.
• 🔄 La realidad distorsionada por las redes sociales y la idolatrización de figuras influyentes puede llevar a una percepción distorsionada de la realidad y a un aumento en los niveles de ansiedad y depresión.

Q & A

¿Qué es la gratificación inmediata y cómo afecta a la generación Z?

La gratificación inmediata es la necesidad de cumplir de inmediato un impulso o deseo. Afecta a la generación Z al haberlas condicionado para recibir una inyección instantánea de dopamina, lo que las lleva a buscar placeres inmediatos y distraerse de metas a largo plazo.

¿Cómo ha cambiado el consumo de medios de comunicación con el tiempo según el guion?

Hace menos de dos décadas, las personas esperaban toda una semana para el siguiente episodio de sus series favoritas. Hoy en día, servicios de streaming como Netflix han revolucionado la experiencia de consumo de medios, permitiendo ver contenido en demanda y sin esperas.

¿Qué es el 'mono de la gratificación inmediata' y cómo afecta la toma de decisiones?

El 'mono de la gratificación inmediata' es una metáfora que representa la parte del cerebro que busca el placer inmediato y distrae de metas a largo plazo. Impide que la persona se centre en tareas que requieren esfuerzo o recompensas a largo plazo.

¿Qué es el 'dark playground' y cómo se relaciona con el procrastinador?

El 'dark playground' es un lugar metafórico donde ocurren actividades de ocio en momentos en que no deberían ocurrir, lleno de culpa, ansiedad y desprecio propio, ya que el procrastinador sabe que debería estar haciendo algo productivo en lugar de distraerse.

¿Qué es el 'brainrot' y cómo se manifiesta en la generación Z?

El 'brainrot' es un término popular entre la generación Z para describir el agotamiento mental y la sensación de apatía que proviene del consumo constante de contenido. Se siente como si el cerebro estuviera sobrecargado y desensibilizado por la información constante.

¿Cómo ha cambiado la forma en que la generación Z se conecta con el mundo debido al uso de redes sociales?

Con el uso de redes sociales, la generación Z ha desarrollado hábitos de consumo que han afectado su salud mental y su capacidad para conectarse con otros de manera significativa. La comparación constante con las vidas de otros en línea puede llevar a sentimientos de insuficiencia.

¿Qué es la 'fatiga de compasión' y cómo afecta a la generación Z?

La 'fatiga de compasión' es un estado en el que la capacidad de sentir empatía disminuye debido a la exposición constante a la tragedia y el sufrimiento en línea. La generación Z, al estar expuesta a tal contenido, puede llegar a sentirse emocionalmente desensibilizada.

¿Cómo la sensacionalización en los medios de comunicación ha afectado la percepción de la realidad de la generación Z?

La sensacionalización en los medios ha llevado a la generación Z a normalizar expectativas distorsionadas de la realidad, viéndose a sí mismos y al mundo de una manera que no refleja la vida real, sino una versión idealizada y seleccionada por las redes sociales.

¿Qué consecuencias tiene el consumo excesivo de contenido en las redes sociales para la salud mental de la generación Z?

El consumo excesivo de contenido en redes sociales ha demostrado estar científicamente relacionado con altos niveles de ansiedad y depresión en la generación Z, contribuyendo a sentimientos de abrumación y desconexión.

¿Cómo se relaciona la soledad con el uso de redes sociales y la generación Z?

A pesar de que las redes sociales han conectado a la generación Z con más personas que nunca antes, muchos se sienten más solos que nunca. El constante flujo de notificaciones y la tentación de desplazarse por el contenido sin fin puede dejarlos sintiéndose abrumados y desconectados.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 La Era de la Gratificación Instantánea y su Impacto en la Generación Z

Este párrafo explora cómo la tecnología y las plataformas de redes sociales han moldeado la cultura de gratificación instantánea en la generación Z. Se describe cómo la inmediatez en la entrega de recompensas, desde los servicios de streaming que eliminan la espera hasta los likes y comentarios en las redes sociales, ha creado una sensación de urgencia inmediata en la vida cotidiana. Se compara con la infancia del narrador en la que se tenía que esperar semana tras semana por nuevos episodios de series de televisión, resaltando cómo la aparición de servicios de streaming ha cambiado la forma en que consumimos medios y ha afectado nuestra capacidad de disfrutar y anticiparnos de la entretenimiento.

05:03

🐒 La Mono de Gratificación Instantánea y su Influencia en la Psicología del Procrastinador

En este párrafo se explica el concepto de gratificación instantánea desde una perspectiva psicológica, y cómo esta ha impactado especialmente en la generación Z. Se menciona un TEDx talk de Tim Urban, quien utiliza la metáfora de la 'Mono de Gratificación Instantánea' para describir la parte del cerebro que busca el placer inmediato y se distrae de los objetivos a largo plazo. Se discute cómo esta 'mono' nos lleva a posponer tareas y a dedicarnos a actividades que son fáciles y divertidas en lugar de trabajar hacia metas a largo plazo, lo que puede resultar en un sentimiento de culpa y ansiedad.

10:07

📉 La Desensibilización de la Generación Z ante el Consumo Excesivo de Contenido

Este párrafo aborda cómo el constante consumo de contenido en línea ha llevado a la desensibilización de la generación Z. Se argumenta que la cantidad abrumadora de información y la naturaleza de las plataformas de redes sociales, diseñadas para mantener nuestra atención con contenido que evoque fuertes emociones, ha resultado en una sensación de 'brainrot' o agotamiento mental. Se discute cómo la exposición repetida a este tipo de contenido ha llevado a una sensación de 'Doomer', un estado de desilusión y desesperanza hacia el mundo, y cómo esto se refleja en la forma en que percibimos y nos conectamos con la realidad.

15:08

📱 La Fatiga de Contenido y la Pérdida de Empatía en la Generación Z

Aquí se discute cómo la fatiga de contenido y la exposición constante a sensacionalismo en las redes sociales han afectado la capacidad de empatía de la generación Z. Se menciona el concepto de 'compasión fatiga', que describe cómo la exposición prolongada a la tragedia y el sufrimiento puede llevar a una disminución en las respuestas empáticas. Se argumenta que la sensacionalización del contenido y la distorsión de la realidad por parte de las influencias y figuras de los medios sociales han llevado a una desconexión emocional y a una percepción distorsionada de lo que es normal y real en la vida.

20:09

🌌 La Soledad de la Generación Z en un Mundo Hyperconectado

El último párrafo reflexiona sobre cómo, a pesar de que la tecnología y las redes sociales han conectado a la generación Z con más personas que nunca antes, se ha sentido más sola que nunca. Se sugiere que la constante necesidad de estar conectados y la presión de la interacción digital han llevado a una sensación de aislamiento y desconexión emocional, lo que ha afectado la salud mental y el bienestar de los jóvenes.

Keywords

💡Instant gratification

La gratificación inmediata se refiere al deseo de satisfacer una necesidad o impulso de inmediato. En el vídeo, se relaciona con la forma en que la generación Z ha crecido con tecnología que ofrece recompensas inmediatas, como servicios de streaming y plataformas sociales que proporcionan respuestas de dopamina rápidas a través de likes, comentarios y vistas. Este concepto es central en el mensaje del vídeo, que explora cómo esta cultura de la gratificación inmediata ha definido la sociedad moderna y ha afectado la forma en que consumimos contenido y tomamos decisiones.

💡Gen Z

Gen Z, también conocido como la generación Z, se refiere al grupo de personas nacidas aproximadamente entre 1997 y 2012. En el vídeo, se utiliza para describir a los jóvenes que han crecido con tecnología avanzada y han sido testigos de un mundo en constante cambio tecnológico y social. La generación Z es central en el tema del vídeo, ya que se discute cómo su experiencia con los medios digitales y la gratificación inmediata ha moldeado su comportamiento y percepciones.

💡Digital media

Los medios digitales son formas de comunicación que utilizan tecnología digital para almacenar, presentar y distribuir contenido. En el vídeo, se discute cómo los medios digitales han revolucionado la forma en que la generación Z consume y interactúa con el contenido, llevando a una cultura de gratificación inmediata y un impacto significativo en su bienestar mental y social.

💡Dopamine

La dopamina es una neurotransmisor en el cerebro que se asocia con la recompensa y el placer. En el contexto del vídeo, se menciona para ilustrar cómo las plataformas de redes sociales y los servicios de streaming estimulan la liberación de dopamina al proporcionar likes, comentarios y vistas inmediatos, reforzando el ciclo de búsqueda de gratificación inmediata.

💡Procrastination

La procrastinación es la tendencia a posponer o aplazar tareas a largo plazo a actividades más inmediatas y a menudo menos importantes. En el vídeo, se utiliza el concepto de 'mono de la gratificación inmediata' para describir cómo la procrastinación influye en la toma de decisiones, llevándonos a elegir actividades inmediatas y placenteras en lugar de trabajar hacia metas a largo plazo.

💡Content consumption

El consumo de contenido se refiere a la forma en que las personas ingestan material informativo a través de diferentes canales, como televisión, internet y redes sociales. El vídeo explora cómo el consumo de contenido en la era digital ha cambiado, con la generación Z adaptándose a un modelo de acceso instantáneo y a demanda, lo que ha afectado su capacidad para disfrutar y conectarse con el contenido de manera más profunda.

💡Desensitization

La desensibilización es el proceso por el cual una persona pierde la capacidad de responder emocionalmente a situaciones o estímulos que antes eran significativos o impactantes. En el vídeo, se discute cómo el constante consumo de contenido chocante y sensacionalista en plataformas de redes sociales ha llevado a la generación Z a sentirse desensibilizada, lo que ha disminuido su capacidad para mostrar empatía y conectarse con los eventos del mundo.

💡Social media platforms

Las plataformas de redes sociales son sitios web o aplicaciones que permiten a las personas interactuar y compartir contenido. En el vídeo, se abordan las implicaciones de estas plataformas en la salud emocional y social de la generación Z, destacando cómo la comparación constante con las vidas de otros y la búsqueda de validación a través de likes y seguidores puede llevar a sentimientos de inseguridad y aislamiento.

💡Compassion fatigue

La fatiga de compasión es un estado de agotamiento emocional y psicológico que puede ocurrir cuando una persona está expuesta repetidamente a la sufrimiento de otros. En el vídeo, se menciona cómo la exposición constante a tragedias y sufrimiento en línea ha llevado a algunos jóvenes a desarrollar una fatiga de compasión, lo que afecta su capacidad para sentir empatía genuina por los demás.

💡Reality distortion

La distorsión de la realidad se refiere a la forma en que las percepciones y expectativas de una persona pueden verse influenciadas o alteradas por la exposición a ciertas representaciones. En el vídeo, se discute cómo la vida presentada en las redes sociales, a menudo idealizada y seleccionada, puede distorsionar la percepción de la realidad de los jóvenes, llevándolos a compararse con estándares irreales y a desarrollar expectativas distorsionadas de la vida real.

Highlights

Millions of people globally are affected by the new age of digital media, leading to a culture of instant gratification.

Gen Z has grown up with technology that provides immediate rewards, influencing their expectations and behaviors.

The internet has revolutionized content consumption, with information readily available at our fingertips.

The shift to on-demand streaming services has changed how we experience media, reducing the anticipation and excitement of waiting for new content.

The psychological definition of instant gratification is the need to immediately fulfill an urge or desire.

Social media platforms are designed to provide instant dopamine responses through likes, comments, and views.

Tim Urban's TEDx talk introduces the 'instant gratification monkey' as a metaphor for the part of the brain that seeks immediate pleasure.

The constant battle between the rational decision maker and the instant gratification monkey shapes our daily decisions.

Gen Z faces an era of societal collapse, with endless choice leading to a psychological burden and a sense of being overstimulated but under socialized.

The term 'brainrot' describes the mental exhaustion and numbness from the constant consumption of content.

Our brains are in a constant state of overload, processing information and content without breaks, leading to desensitization.

The 'Doomer' concept reflects a growing sense of pessimism and hopelessness among young people due to online negativity.

Social media algorithms are designed to keep us engaged by recommending content that elicits strong reactions.

The rise of sensationalized content on social media platforms is driven by the need to keep users engaged and clicking.

Gen Z's exposure to tragedy and suffering online has led to compassion fatigue, reducing their ability to empathize with others.

Influencers' curated versions of their lives distort our view of reality, leading to disillusionment and normalized expectations.

Heavy social media use, especially among Gen Z, has been linked to high levels of anxiety and depression.

Despite being more connected than ever, Gen Z feels more lonely, caught in the relentless pull of digital engagement.

Transcripts

If you’ve ever found yourself mindlessly

scrolling through TikTok or binging YouTube videos until 3am...

You're not alone.

Millions of us around the globe are victims

to the new age of digital media.

And in today's fast paced world, the culture of instant gratification

for Gen Z’s has become a defining feature of our modern day society.

Gen Z’s have grown up with technology that delivers immediate rewards

from streaming services

that eliminate the need to wait for the next episode,

to social media platforms that provide immediate dopamine

responses through the number of likes, comments and views

you get on each video.

The expectation of immediate results

has infiltrated almost every aspect of everyday life,

creating a pervasive sense of immediate urgency.

For Gen Z’s

we’ve become acclimated to the notion of needing things

and needing things now.

The internet has revolutionized the way we access and consume

content.

We live in an age where information is at a very fingertips,

and one where we seek instant gratification

in anything and everything we do.

As much as I hate to admit it, this concept of instant

gratification has become a hallmark in our digital age.

A perfect example of this is the shift in how we consume media.

Let me tell you a story.

For me,

my childhood was characterized in the mid to late 2000s.

I grew up on the concept of DVD stores and the telly.

Growing up, you had to wait an entire week

for the next episode of your favorite TV series.

There was no streaming service like Netflix or Disney+

When I was a kid,

you had to wait an entire week for the next episode of your

favorite TV series.

For the OG Star Wars fans out there,

I absolutely loved this show called The Clone Wars growing up.

I absolutely adored it.

And it would play on the Cartoon Channel

every single Thursday and Friday at 4:00pm after school.

Back then, the anticipation of waiting for the show

was almost as exciting as watching the show itself.

If you missed an episode,

it was a big deal and you'd have

to go into the next episode not knowing what was going on.

You couldn't simply just rewatch it, or there was no streaming

service for you to catch up on, or even a DVR to record it for you.

And so each schedule became a significant event,

and I would arrange my entire schedule around it.

I didn't care what was going on, or what I had on that day,

but I knew damn well I'd be sitting in front of the telly

watching that show at 4:00pm every single Thursday and Friday.

To put things into context,

this was less than two decades ago,

and the concept of On-Demand streaming to what we have today

at this day's scale and magnitude was unimaginable.

Fast forward to the modern day, and streaming services

such as Netflix and Hulu and Disney+

have revolutionized the media consumption experience.

These mediums have changed the way in which we transact

and consume media.

The joy of waiting and the shared excitement

of discussing episodes with friends week after week,

has been replaced by a more isolated and fleeting sense of fulfillment.

There's obviously an argument to be made

that the convenience of modern day streaming services is undeniable.

And you know what?

It is kind of fun watching an entire storyline unfold over one weekend.

But the truth of the matter is, you lose the slow burn excitement

that once made watching your favorite TV show so enticing.

And at the end of your binge session, you're left

with a fleeting sense of “oh, was that it?”

Times have changed.

If I wanted to rewatch The

Clone Wars, I can find it all on Disney+.

Ready at a click of a button.

For Gen Z’s and for you and me,

we've never known a world without it.

Before we go too deep, I want to take a step back

and explain the concept of instant gratification.

The psychological definition of instant gratification is referred

to as the need to immediately fulfill an urge or desire.

And this concept can be applied to a lot of our day to day lives.

Do you go on social media first thing in the morning?

Do you scroll on TikTok and Instagram Reels

before you head to bed?

Or can you even go to the bathroom without some form of entertainment?

All of these examples are just touching

the surface in understanding how our brain is conditioned to do

what's easy and to do what makes us happy in the moment.

For Gen Z’s,

they've been conditioned for years

to receive that instant shot of dopamine.

A few years ago, there was a very interesting

TEDx talk that was given by a Harvard graduate named Tim Urban.

And he touches on the notion of procrastination and explains

why the concept of instant

gratification has taken such a hold on our everyday lives.

Instead of butchering the explanation,

I'll let Tim take the stage.

So here's the brain of a non procrastinator.

Now here's my brain.

There is a difference.

Both brains have a rational decision maker in them,

but the procrastinators brain also has an instant gratification monkey.

Now, what does this mean for the procrastinator?

Well, it means everything's fine until this happens.

So the rational decision maker will make the rational decision

to do something productive.

But the monkey doesn't like that plan.

So he actually takes the wheel and he says:

“Actually, let's read

the entire Wikipedia

page of the Nancy Kerrigan Tonya Harding scandal,

because I just remember that that happened.

Then.

Then we're going to go over to the fridge.

We're going to see if there's anything

new in there since ten minutes ago.

After that,

we're going to go on a YouTube spiral

that starts with videos of Richard Feynman talking about magnets

and ends much, much later with us

watching interviews with Justin Bieber's mom.

All of that is going to take a while,

so we're not going to really have room

on the schedule for any work today.

Sorry.

Now, I just know that all of us here

have been down the rabbit hole of doing absolutely nothing,

that we forget what we're actually meant to be doing.

Tim introduces the concept of the instant gratification monkey,

which is essentially a metaphor that represents the part of the brain

that seeks immediate pleasure and distracts from long term goals.

The monkey lives on the concept of procrastination

and leeches in the pleasure of the present moment,

avoiding any tasks that require effort or delayed rewards.

The monkey, suffice to say, is not someone

you want behind the wheel of your decision making.

He lives entirely in the present moment.

He has no memory of the past, no knowledge of the future,

and he only cares about two things:

Easy and fun.

For Gen Z's,

there's always an ongoing battle between the rational decision maker

and instant gratification monkey.

Think of it as a push and pull, where both sides

are constantly fighting for attention,

between what's easy and fun

and what's actually the right thing to do.

Now, sometimes it makes sense to be doing things that are easy and fun,

like when you're having dinner,

or going to bed, or enjoying well earned leisure time.

That's why there's an overlap.

Sometimes they agree,

but other times it makes much more sense

to be doing things

that are harder and less pleasant for the sake of the big picture.

And that's when we have a conflict.

And for the procrastinator,

that conflict tends to end a certain way every time,

leaving him

spending a lot of time

in this orange zone. An easy and fun place

that's entirely out of the makes sense circle.

I call it the dark playground.

Now, the dark playground is a place that all of you

procrastinators out there know very well.

It's where leisure activities happen at times

when leisure activities are not supposed to be happening.

The fun you have in the dark playground isn't actually fun

because it's completely unearned

and the air is filled with guilt, dread,

anxiety, self-hatred all those good procrastinator feelings.

Each of us watching this video has an instant gratification monkey

and the rational decision maker within our brains.

Now the terrible thing is, and for Gen Z’s especially,

our neurons have been so fried from years of conditioning

to mindlessly scrolling social media

that we've actually let the instant gratification monkey take the wheel

and make the decisions most of the time.

The monkey will drag you into the dark playground,

where pleasure will be filled with stress, anxiety, and guilt.

Because you know you should be doing what's right and what makes sense

to do instead of what's fun and what's easy.

And the research speaks for itself.

An article conducted by Forbes identified that Gen Z’s

are becoming adults during an era of societal collapse.

Endless choice has transformed into a psychological burden,

where young people are overstimulated but under socialized.

So, what exactly is brainrot?

It's a term that's become popular with Gen Z's to describe

the overwhelming sense of mental exhaustion and numbness

that comes from the constant consumption of content.

I know, a bit of a tongue twister there.

Imagine your brain as a sponge for absorbing endless streams

of information, memes, news and videos without a break.

At some point, sooner or later, that sponge will become overwhelmed.

And it's not just about consuming content, right.

It's about the type of content that we consume as well.

We're constantly bombarded with clickbait, sensational headlines,

and shock value that is specifically designed to grab our attention

but rarely provide any substantial value.

Yes, I'm talking about you. BuzzFeed.

Over time, this constant barrage dulls our senses

and makes us less responsive to the world around us.

What used to shock or amuse us now barely registers,

leading us to become desensitized to the world around us.

So, why exactly has Gen Z

especially become so desensitized?

Well, one major factor is just the sheer

amount of content that we consume on a daily basis.

From the moment we wake up, to the second we go to sleep,

we're plugged into an endless stream of information.

Our brains are in a constant state of overload,

processing everything from the latest memes to breaking news.

This constant bombardment makes it hard

for anything to truly stand out or impact us deeply.

To make things worse, social media platforms are especially designed

to keep us engaged by recommending content

that elicits strong reactions and emotions from us.

The thing is, though, as we continue to consume this type of content,

our responses become dulled to what's ‘extreme’

or what's ‘sensationalized.’

Now think about it right.

The first time you consumed a shocking news story,

it hits hard and it hits home.

But the 10th time? Not so much.

This repeated exposure leads to a level of emotional burnout

where we become numb to things that used to affect us.

The constant connectivity also means we're always ‘on’, always ‘consuming’,

and never taking a break to process or to reflect.

We scroll past important news stories

without really absorbing them.

We swipe through emotional posts without feeling a sense of empathy,

And consume content at such a rapid pace

that nothing truly ever sinks in.

As a generation, we've become desensitized to the concept of ‘normal.’

Enter the ‘Doomer.’

If you haven't heard of this term, it's a concept introduced by Gen Z’s

and millennials to portray someone who’s lost all hope;

and who is filled with a sense of pessimism and hopelessness

towards the world around them.

Doomers are often portrayed as detached,

disillusioned, and emotionally drained.

They've seen so much negativity online

that they've lost all hope in the world around them.

Now, I want you to understand that this isn't just a meme

or a character.

It's a real world phenomenon, and it's a reflection

of how we've become disillusioned to the world around us.

The sad thing is, for many young people, and especially Gen Z’s,

they’ve start to feel a growing sense of doubt

as they begin to feel overwhelmed to the world around them.

There is an ongoing sense of disconnection between what's real

and what's not. What is going on around us?

How do we fufill ourselves? And why are we even here?

I know. Super deep.

The Doomer concept is a coping mechanism for a lot of us,

as we shield ourselves from the emotional burden of a world

that feels increasingly chaotic and out of control.

But the thing is, it also illustrates more

centralized nuances within our society.

Specifically the way our digital consumption

habits are shaping our mental health and our ability to connect

with each other on a meaningful level.

Alongside the concept of the Doomer,

the rise of social media has transformed the way in which Gen Z’s

consume, communicate and connect with the world around us.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok

have become integral parts of our daily lives.

But with the rise of social media comes significant

implications for our health and emotional well-being.

The nature of social media means that we're constantly

comparing ourselves to the others around us.

We often see curated highlights of other people's lives.

And as human beings, we can't help ourselves.

But compare.

What about us?

Why are we not that successful?

Why are we not that rich?

Why don't I have what they have?

And this could lead to feelings of inadequacy amongst ourselves.

When you're constantly bombarded with the concept of success

and you see these influencers living their seemingly perfect

lives, it's easy to feel like you're worthless or unsuccessful.

as we continuously scroll, day in and day out.

We begin to feel a sense of numbing as we emotionally disengage

from the people and from the world around us.

this means that things become normalized even when they shouldn't

be. In our continuous state of nothingness,

the concept of ‘content fatigue’ reigns supreme.

Where we’ve become overstimulated and undersatisfied.

We all know that social media platforms thrive on engagement.

Algorithms are designed to use our own consumption

habits against us.

Nuances such as:

Do you engage with this content?

Or, how long have you watched this video?

Drive our knowledge of consumption habits

The reason? It’s so content can be curated

specifically for us to drive an emotional reaction.

To keep us clicking. To keep us watching.

Over, and over, and over again.

And sadly,

a lot of the time this means that sensationalized, shocking

or emotionally charged content will rise to the top.

Because it's those things that keep us engaged.

Now, I don't want to call out any names,

but look how popular drama channels have become.

At the end of the day, sensationalism sells

and we've become victims to it.

It also doesn't help that all of these social media platforms

and influencers and creators are all fighting for attention.

And with our attention spans getting shorter

and shorter and shorter, we start to become desensitized

to the amount of sensationalized content on the internet.

And you know what that means.

Content has to become even more sensationalized, even more crazy,

and even more daring to elicit the same sort of reaction from us.

At this point, when our brain begins to dull

the media we consume, we begin to experience

social and psychological triggers to our media consumption experience.

As Gen Z's become desensitized,

their ability to empathize with others also begins to suffer.

As the new generation has become constantly exposed to tragedy

and suffering online for their entire lives,

it can become difficult to feel genuine empathy for those affected.

I mean, just take a look back at how many sensationalized

pieces of content we’ve consumed over the past half decade,

from the war in Ukraine to the Israel-Palestine conflict,

to the mass amount of terror and mass shootings...

The fact of the

matter is, we've become numb to this.

this concept has been termed compassion fatigue

by professors Natália Ondrejková and Júlia Halamová.

Their study, conducted on nurses who experienced traumatic events day

in and day out,

witnessed a correlation between the years of experience of nurses

and the reduction in empathetic responses towards new trauma.

This was because their psychological system

had become numb to the suffering of others, reducing

the level of natural compassion in their emotional responses.

Whilst not all of us are nurses,

this concept can be applied to how we consume

sensationalized content in our digital age,

where more and more Gen Z’s are experiencing compassion

fatigue and becoming empathetically disconnected

to the world around them.

Beyond sensationalized content,

there's also the impact on our sense of reality.

When influencers and large social media figures portray curated

versions of their lives,

we can't help but distort our view of reality to be just like them.

We look up to them.

We idolize them, and in a twisted way, we begin to think

what we see online is a true reflection of the world around us.

A world where Gen Z has become disillusioned

to the concept of reality and normalized expectations.

And the research has shown this.

Multiple studies have demonstrated that heavy social media use,

especially within the new generation, has been

scientifically linked to high levels of anxiety and depression.

For Gen Z’s

it's become easier and easier to feel overwhelmed

and helpless.

In today's hyper connected world,

many of us feel caught in the relentless pull

of digital engagement.

The constant influx of notifications and the allure of endlessly

scrolling, has left us feeling overwhelmed and detached.

As digital natives, Gen Z’s have grown up alongside technology.

But when is enough, enough?

Social media has found a way to connect us

with more people around the world than ever before.

And yet, in a sick, twisted way,

we've become more lonely than ever.

Until next time.