dark side ,” tristan harris suggests H u m a n i t i e s

For this discussion, I am providing several options for questions. Choose ONE to respond to (if there are already other posts, choose one that someone else has not addressed yet unless they’ve all been taken). Then, in your responses, be sure to engage with conversations about the other questions, not just the one you answered.

• In the PBS documentary, Generation Like, much of the focus is on empowerment for those who create and share content online. How does knowing that others “like” you, your content, or what you “like” affect you? How do companies take advantage of this to sell us products/services?
• In the Big Think video about “Social Media’s Dark Side,” Tristan Harris suggests that these media affect our self-worth. Explain what he means and describe whether or not you agree and why.
• What do you think about Juan Enriquez’s idea that our online activity is like a digital tattoo? Does that affect the way that you use and share information online? How might you apply his suggestions in your own interactions?
• How would you describe the teens in the This American Life episode? If you are younger, you might have had a similar experience in junior high and high school. If you are a little older, the whole idea might sound pretty foreign. In both cases, though, we can remember the social pressures of this age. With that in mind, how do you think social media affects teens? (Think about connections, sharing, and tie that back to the online tattoo idea.)
• Have you ever been guilty of oversharing (online or in real life)? What do you think caused it? How did you feel after? Do you feel more annoyed by people sharing too much of their lives? Or do you wish they would open up more so that you could make real connections with them?