Discussion Potentially Controversial Opinion:

[Your Own Ghost]

I've spent a lot of time on the internet in my life, and one thing that's always bothered me about it is what I consider superficial encounters of human relationships. It's similar to the idea of the internet bringing lonely people together, but instead of finding fulfillment they only end up being lonely side by side.

Instead of sharing thoughts with other people, reciprocation is pigeonholed through a like status or an emoticon, and on many sites, the ulterior motives of strangers and propaganda control the day. Instead of sharing your art or your passion – it's all filtered through the efficiencies of a program, or a layout, and the unknown potential is never given a chance. Instead of love, your desire to love is matched up with another's desire to love, but together it still isn't loving, it's just group desiring. Much of it is oftentimes solitary confinement in disguise.

And it's a cheap kind of reciprocation. For example, blogging sites (e.g. Tumblr) knew how to work this to their advantage and would send bots to hand out free "likes" so no one felt completely isolated and would continue using (i.e. being) the product. Dating sites have been known to send fake messages right before your subscription ends to get you to renew. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram numbers are often elevated by paid-for bot farms. Reddit numbers are skewed to a nonsensical amount. Imagine that, if you were foolish enough to think the world was listening and it wasn't… at all.

Over the years I couldn't help but feel like the internet was getting worse in various, slippery ways. Now I think it more closely resembles a shopping mall than a launching pad for human potential. At this rate, the various freedoms will eventually all be stripped away for the rules of corporate power, feel-good ideology-driven law, and advertising. As people spend more time online, that will be the prison their philosophy grows in.

It's that superficiality that has been exacerbated along the way. And here it goes – this is the controversial part I alluded to in the title – To have others on this site say that they're "here" with you, or to give you a "like" as you spill your heart out, or to follow along to your text report upon exiting this life, is all another facet of the cruel indifference this technologic reality now represents. I shudder to think of someone getting a dopamine kick as they post about taking lethal drugs. It's like looking forward to your prison bars thanking you as you hang yourself from them.

"So why are you here?" you might ask.

I suppose for many of the same reasons you're here, but I just rationalize it in a different way. No matter how hard I try, though, I can't bring myself to think it's something else.


P.S. I'm sorry, I don't want to offend anyone or make the impression that my generalization is at all applicable to everyone. I'm completely fine if you think the opposite. It's probably better that way.

 

[CornerE]

You didn't offend anyone , it's just how you feel about it.
If people found what they're looking for in real life with face to face social communications , they wouldn't have been here or surfing any social sites to find what they're missing - or dismissing .

It may be fake and at some point you come to realize that it's not so much better than real life , but we try anyway .

 

[EddieAllenPoe]

The only thing to consider is that there are many people who say they feel alone in crowds. It makes you wonder... if physically being near people and talking to them doesn't always cure loneliness then what would? Probably, a better question, what is loneliness?

I'm not saying this to discredit your opinion. I worry too about how technology might be ruining society. I think, though, it isn't simple to just say technology is to blame for our problems.

 

[ayanonikki]

i think this is good observation. there is no offence at all in this post. i think a lot (if not the majority) of people are aware of the facades of mainstream media now.

i feel that there is a big difference between a niche website such as this, and say, a global platform like instagram or facebook where you get a large and various amount of users. on this website we are all here for a very specific reason - we are/were contemplating suicide or simply suffering with our mental health. we are all in the same position and we all want to speak about the same topic, mostly. plus, our willingness to share our deepest thoughts is aided by our anonymity. everyone who simply passes by my posts doesn't even know my name or what i look like, so of course it's easy for me to speak about my feelings. let's compare that to the global platform instagram. there are a lot of different people on instagram, meaning a lot of different communities merging together. fitness gurus, artsy people, celebrities, the list goes on and on. of course people feel the pressure to present themselves in a certain way because they are exposing themselves in front of a large audience who they don't know anything about. it's almost like high school, but digital. saying all that, i think the reason we pigeonhole our reciprocation into likes is because we are afraid to do anything more, to share our opinion, at least on the global platforms. we all want attention, it's just human. but because of our insecurities the most we can expect from others is just recognition in the form of a like because everyone is afraid to do any more in fear of judgement. when people separate into their own communities they are more willing to speak because there is less fear of judgement. i think all this can be summed down to the idiom 'birds of a feather flock together'.

of course as sites become more popular it is unavoidable that there will be people who will take advantage of this and so the pure intentions of the site are clouded by advertising and feeding off people's insecurities and forcing them to buy things or do things so they will also appeal to a larger audience on instagram. so yes, there are ulterior motives where there are a large amount of people.

as for what you have mentioned about how love isn't actually love and just matching up your own desires with others, once again i think it's because of our insecurities. we are afraid to form a relationship beyond the point of liking and commenting on each other's posts. we don't know when to cross the line from recognition to a relationship. i think that is the case for me, anyway.

i think the majority of people on this site are actually here to discuss with you and not just to like your posts. i don't feel the same way that i am almost talking to a wall while i am pouring my heart out and thanking it in return, because i am actually getting a response here. on other websites like you said there would be a propaganda pushed forward that i should stay alive because suicide is never the answer, and the only reason this is collectively pushed forward by so many people is because people are afraid to say otherwise. it's a serious topic that most people want to tiptoe around.

i think the following quote is a good way to describe mainstream media now:
"I am convinced that human life is filled with many pure, happy, serene examples of insincerity, truly splendid of their kind-of people deceiving one another without (strangely enough) any wounds being inflicted, of people who seem unaware even that they are deceiving one another." (Osamu Dazai)

 

[Your Own Ghost]

Thanks, everyone. Sometimes my frustrations mount and the pressure starts to break the weakest points. I probably wouldn't have made that disjointed post if I waited a while before submitting.

As I was driving home tonight I was thinking about what to say to everyone who was kind enough to take their time and respond. The truth is that much of the original post probably wouldn't even bother me if I found some comfort away from the computer. And in all honesty, probably an embarrassing amount of honesty, I probably wouldn't even write stuff like that at all if I had ever found a way to exist beyond a level that I do now in day to day life.

And although I do have some reservations about mixing up the dopamine-kick of the like button with some of the stuff here, I do think overall this site special. If there's one thing that stands out above all it's how accepting people here are of others. There's also a great deal of sincerity (minus the time if I asked @CornerE if he had any active volcanoes near him. See, I can't even follow my own desires). Anyway, that sincerity has value. One of the last personal posts I ever made on Facebook alluded to a dark patch I was going through, and in response I got "lol" from an aunt. Talk about different worlds.

When my ghost slips from my form, I hope you all continue to listen and care for each other. Try to prevent others from making impulsive decisions and carry on that honesty.

 

[CornerE]

There's also a great deal of sincerity (minus the time if I asked@CornerE if he had any active volcanoes near him. See, I can't even follow my own desires). Anyway, that sincerity has value.

No @Your Own Ghost , THAT was sincere .

Acting like prolifers and try to deprive me of good recommendations to help me end my suffering the best way I freely choose , that is not sincere .
Thank you for not acting like spiteful prolifers .

You would only hurt me by that volcano tip if my life was great or at least good enough with no pain or suffering that pushes me over the edge - which it isn't .

(minus the time if I asked @CornerE if he had any active volcanoes near him.

By the way ; it's a "she"