Is influencer culture having a negative effect on young people today?

Vox Pops International

20 Sept 202201:15

Summary

TLDRThe speaker shares their experience of unfollowing social media influencers and celebrities to avoid comparison and the resulting unhappiness. They emphasize the importance of relatability and authenticity, criticizing the unrealistic portrayal of perfect lives online. The script also touches on the impact of social media on young people, including the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty and fitness standards, and the loss of childhood innocence.

Takeaways

🤔 The speaker has been unfollowing influencers and celebrities on Instagram to avoid comparison and the feeling of misery.
🌐 Social media platforms like Instagram can create a sense of disconnection from reality due to the curated and idealized content.
🚫 The speaker feels that social media feeds can be filled with content that is not relatable or necessary, such as extreme diets.
👩‍🦰 As a woman, the speaker is particularly critical of the unrealistic beauty and lifestyle standards perpetuated by social media.
🔄 The speaker has chosen to follow only people they know and pages dedicated to their interests to create a more personalized and positive online experience.
🧘‍♀️ There is a concern about the impact of social media on mental health, especially the pressure it can place on young people to conform to certain ideals.
👶 The speaker observes that even children are not exempt from this pressure, as seen with the brother-in-law who is conscious about fitness at a young age.
🏋️‍♂️ The script highlights a societal shift where children are feeling the need to be physically fit and attractive at increasingly younger ages.
🤷‍♀️ The speaker suggests that the problem is not with influencers themselves but with how individuals consume and internalize the information they share.
🌟 The importance of authenticity and relatability in social media content is emphasized, as it can contribute to a healthier self-image and mindset.
⏳ The script concludes with a reminder that life is short and should not be spent feeling miserable due to unrealistic expectations set by social media.

Q & A

Why has the speaker unfollowed many influencers and celebrities on Instagram?
-The speaker unfollowed them because they found themselves comparing to these individuals, which led to feelings of misery and a realization that life is too short to be unhappy.
What does the speaker think about the content they see on Instagram?
-The speaker finds the content on Instagram, particularly from influencers and celebrities, to be unrelatable and causing a damaging cycle for young people.
How does the speaker feel about the diet-related content they encounter on social media?
-The speaker is not interested in hearing about extreme diets, such as a 500 calorie diet, and finds it unnecessary and potentially harmful.
What does the speaker believe is the root cause of the problem with social media content?
-The speaker doesn't think influencers are the issue; rather, it's how individuals absorb and react to the information presented on social media.
Why does the speaker mention their brother-in-law in the script?
-The speaker uses their brother-in-law, who is 14 and already conscious about going to the gym, as an example of how young people are influenced by social media to adopt adult behaviors prematurely.
What is the speaker's opinion on children being exposed to adult-like pressures?
-The speaker expresses sadness that children are not allowed to be children anymore due to the influence of social media and societal expectations.
What is the speaker's view on the portrayal of perfect lives on social media?
-The speaker believes that the portrayal of perfect lives on social media creates a false idea that others have amazing lives without problems.
How does the speaker's approach to social media differ from the norm?
-The speaker chooses to follow only people they know and content that is dedicated to their interests, avoiding the influence of unrealistic portrayals of life.
What is the speaker's suggestion for a healthier approach to social media?
-The speaker implies that a healthier approach would be to follow content that is relatable and not to compare oneself to the curated images and lifestyles of others.
What message does the speaker want to convey about the impact of social media on mental health?
-The speaker wants to convey that social media can negatively impact mental health by promoting unrealistic standards and causing people to feel inadequate, and that it's important to be mindful of how one consumes this content.

Outlines

00:00

🤳 Social Media Detox for Mental Health

The speaker discusses their recent decision to unfollow numerous influencers and celebrities on Instagram due to the negative impact on their self-esteem and mental well-being. They express concern about the unrealistic standards of beauty and success perpetuated by social media, which leads to feelings of inadequacy and unhappiness. The speaker emphasizes the importance of following accounts that align with personal interests and avoiding those that contribute to a damaging self-image, especially for young audiences.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Instagram

Instagram is a popular social media platform where users can share photos and videos, often curated to present an idealized version of life. In the video's context, it is portrayed as a place where the speaker feels compelled to unfollow certain individuals to avoid comparison and the negative emotions that arise from it.

💡Influencers

Influencers are individuals who have the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience. The script discusses the speaker's decision to unfollow influencers due to the unrealistic standards they set, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy.

💡Celebrities

Celebrities are famous individuals known for their work in various fields such as entertainment, sports, or business. The video mentions the speaker unfollowing celebrities on Instagram to escape the pressure of comparing their own life to the seemingly perfect lives of these public figures.

💡Comparison

Comparison is the act of contrasting two or more entities to identify similarities or differences. The main theme of the video revolves around the negative impact of comparing oneself to others on social media, leading to feelings of misery and dissatisfaction.

💡Miserable

Miserable describes a state of being unhappy or uncomfortable. The speaker uses this term to express the emotional toll that social media can take when it leads to constant comparison with others who appear to have better lives.

💡Relatability

Relatability refers to the quality of being relatable or understandable to others. The video script suggests that the speaker finds the lives of influencers and celebrities unrelatable, which contributes to their decision to unfollow them.

💡Interests

Interests are the things that a person enjoys or is concerned about. The speaker mentions following pages dedicated to their supposed interests, indicating a preference for content that aligns more closely with their personal preferences rather than the curated lifestyles of others.

💡Diet

A diet is a regimen of eating and drinking that is followed to achieve or maintain health. In the script, the speaker expresses disapproval of a 500 calorie diet mentioned by someone, viewing it as an example of the unrealistic and potentially harmful standards promoted on social media.

💡Damage

Damage refers to harm or injury caused to something or someone. The video discusses how social media can cause psychological damage by creating a false perception of others' lives and promoting unhealthy behaviors and expectations.

💡Young Women and Men

The script highlights the impact of social media on young women and men, suggesting that it can create a damaging cycle of unrealistic expectations and pressures to conform to certain beauty or success standards.

💡Children

Children are young people below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority. The speaker expresses concern that children are being influenced by social media to grow up too quickly, as evidenced by the brother-in-law's early concern about physical fitness.

Highlights

Unfollowing influencers and celebrities on Instagram to avoid comparison and improve mental well-being.

The realization that social media portrayals are not relatable and can lead to feelings of misery.

The decision to only follow people who share interests and are personally known to the speaker.

The critique of social media algorithms promoting content that may not be beneficial to the user.

The speaker's rejection of diet-related content, highlighting a preference for healthier media consumption.

The recognition of a damaging cycle in social media affecting young women and men.

The belief that influencers are not the problem, but rather how information is absorbed by the audience.

The observation that societal pressures are making children conscious of their physical appearance at a young age.

The concern that children are being denied the freedom to enjoy their childhood due to societal expectations.

The speaker's personal experience of unfollowing to create a healthier social media environment.

The importance of being mindful of the content we consume and its impact on our self-perception.

The idea that social media can create a false perception of others' lives being problem-free.

The impact of social media on self-esteem and the potential for it to exacerbate feelings of inadequacy.

The speaker's advocacy for a more curated and conscious approach to who we follow on social media.

The reflection on the role of social media in shaping our perceptions of beauty and success.

The call for a change in how we interact with social media to promote a healthier mindset.

The acknowledgment of the need for a balance between social media engagement and personal well-being.