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Political Social Media is an Engine for Narcissism
Incoming pseudo-political apocalyptic rant:
Drinking my coffee this morning and I had a thought about social media, political spectrums, and narcissism. Most people would agree that social media has the ability to make people narcissistic through the ways it encourages vanity, the selfie, and an illusionary selection bias that encourages one to live up to impossible standards and lifestyles. That’s a given.
But there’s another way less spoken about and it comes from the mass and long term consumption of freelance op ed political content. For the left its TikTok, for the right it’s that whole YouTube “Ben Shapiro DESTROYS feminist” sphere. So…
At the core of narcissism (and other maladaptive disorders) is a binary thinking of favorabilty vs unfavorability. Narcissism dictates the vessel always protects themselves from falling on the wrong side of that through a miriad of defense mechanisms. An inflated sense of self commands it. The crux of what I’m saying is that binary (favorable vs unfavorable) is discretely in line with a two party spectrum that is increasingly polarized.
Whether it be on either side people watch videos that critique the other side. It’s reasonable to think after year long exposure that would ingrain a sense of favorability, as you look upon the “unfavorable.” What’s the connection? Part of narcissists tendency is to dehumanize. The opposition is “bad” and stripping of them of their rights and agency isn’t (to them) too crazy. Once the stage is set for being the self-proclaimed favorable one, in comes the gaslighting, score keeping, lack of empathy, and coldness. You see the effects in a new age where political stance is so tied to identity and people segregate themselves into either category. (See deplorables and libtard snowflakes). Under it is a 24/7 engine for narcissisim always churning within arms reach.
Anyways, I don’t know why I’m saying this and I don’t have any solution to offer (besides not consuming op Ed social-political media). I just wanted you to know this thing you are on is tearing at the very fabric of the human condition.
Cheers.
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