Page 209 - Cascade I SHPS School Magazine 2024

all, one must remember trying to reform people on consequences does seem tempting and all but at
social media is as futile as teaching a frog to fly. One, what cost? Sooner or later you are bound to realize
frogs aren’t designed to fly. Two, they have no reason the unbecomingness of it. What if you’re too late
to when they’re perfectly content jumping about. though? What if you stray too far into the abyss of
Hence, don’t argue with people on the internet. This the internet that you can no longer distinguish reality
is etiquette number one. A fact, while known to most from premeditated content? In his song, Bo describes
of the younger generation, the older generations are the average internet user as ‘insatiable’ which is
still yet to come to terms with. (Through usage, let’s nothing short of tragic. It helps to remember that
hope they will, for the general betterment of all.) what you post in there stays there forever and will
Then why is it that we still have an urge to follow you around. It works very much like a parallel
police people on the internet? Why is it that we universe. Those of us who engage are viable to a
engage at all? It is a simple and rather well known secondary persona, namely the online persona. What
answer. Because it is 1. stimulating and 2. you get to be with the metaverse quickly developing, we are able
either the coolest or uncoolest—you decide— to completely disconnect from our physical self that
version of yourself. As it goes without saying, being resides in the physical world at will. Wonder how
on the internet and social media platforms, exposed much that is going to toggle with our perception of
to irrational amounts of anger, hate and ridicute, it is reality. In any case, we’re free to do what we want on
quite likely that we will take to it and join the squad. the internet. How else do we find community, share
I admit the idea of being able to lash out without our artistic endeavors and establish connections? It
remains the most awesome thing to exist for those
reasons, however, on the split side it serves only to
aggravate our meaning crisis and plunge us further into
despair. A little time spent on the internet has us not
only questioning our life choices but also of random
strangers’ when we really need not. This dark side
of it is one that demands serious thought. As it is,
reality can be pretty frightening, adding another layer
to it seems like the perfect way to ensure truth and
rationalism stay buried, to never see the light of day
again.
For the sake of credibility, the title is not a real
phenomenon but one I coined. Perhaps, it strikes
a familiar chord? After hours spent speculating on
the life decisions of strangers from a 30-second video
they posted, impulse buying of bizarre products for
curiosity’s sake, getting shunned by tasteless recom-
mendations—courtesy of the algorithm— tumbling
down the depths of meme culture and Gen Z
humor, do you also feel dotty? Like you’ve somehow
returned from an afloat dimension related to the
tangible things but without that common overriding
factor? Simply put, a little delirious? A detachment
bordering apathy? I bet all of us do. We’re all part of
the same era. Either way, worth giving a thought or
two if it is what our life revolves around.

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