Roundabout: the social dilemma is actually personal – Chandigarh

Dilemmas of all kinds perpetually dot our lives. Relationships, careers, times, pursuits, interactions, and even our personal spaces allow us the freedom, and often create the necessity, of having to make decision after decision. Mundane questions – which route to go to a destination, which menu item to choose, what clothes to wear and which friend to chat with – also gives us the opportunity to exercise our decision-making muscles, so to speak.

The recently popular Netflix movie The Social Dilemma highlights the specific dilemma we face in today’s social media time capsule. Privacy issues as well as mental health issues and in particular addiction issues were raised by this film. The documentary highlights the so-called terror that users face due to their own browsing habits. The film warns virtually the entire world to back off in its use of these powers of social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. They always say Big Brother is watching. Each of our moves, each of our choices, is known to these big baddies, according to The Social Dilemma.

This is a film based on damaging video statements made by former Facebook employees, and others, against the world of social media. So, advertisers are said to be sharks waiting to pounce on us as soon as we click a button. The algorithms used by these social media giants are said to be designed to extract every fraction of the monetary resources we own. Political and financial bigwigs are supposed to bide their time until we disclose our true nature.

The social dilemma really put the cat among the pigeons and deflated the cushy virtual reality bubble that many people lived in before watching the film. One youngster I know well, and I dare say there are many like him, actually deleted his beloved social media accounts, so petrified was he by these frightening ‘revelations’.

The film shook the millennium in particular. This youngster who was born with technology in his palm now discovers that technology can harm him endlessly. His beloved Instagram, where he lives virtually, is said to be inhabited by monsters disguised as ads, main links, suggestions, etc. who can swallow up his peace and freedom. The Netflix film thus shook and shook a large number of people around the world.

Facebook’s response to these forceful allegations has been to send a typically sharp denial that practically pokes fun at the main policy areas of the social dilemma. Facebook also points out that Netflix uses algorithms similar to its own to target potential viewers who would like to see a movie like The Social Dilemma!

There are always two sides to a coin. Shades of gray everywhere. How much danger am I, if Instagram knows I love idlis, cricket, coffee, and books, not necessarily in that order?

So let’s do a reality check here, without being embarrassed about being obsessive users, or alleged stress-creating models, in the social media arena. The fact remains that our own choices determine how we interact with the world. When we choose to eat a burger and drink a Coke, we know that they are not good for us unless we rarely consume them. Likewise, we should be able to control the time we spend on the internet and the desire to exaggerate our involvement with it by avoiding the urge to post personal photos etc. that do not need to be published.

Even if there is a whirlwind, a mass of quicksand, waiting all over the virtual world, to pounce on our weaknesses, we can avoid it. We must choose not to exaggerate anything. We must choose to be disciplined. We have to choose to stay away from our smartphones for long periods of time, every day. Balance, as always, is the key.

Today very few people can go without the use of social media. I have to attend an online birthday party for a childhood friend tonight. The world of social media isn’t really demonic by nature, unless we allow it to be.

The choice is ours. Be sane or take a ride.

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