Social media, contrary to the promise embedded in its name, has become a system that does not socialize people but isolates them. The word “social” here is an illusion. True sociality requires reciprocity, contact, empathy, and responsibility. Social media, however, is built on performance, display, and an economy of approval. People do not approach one another; they observe one another. They do not converse; they exhibit. They do not listen; they measure.

This system turns people into “wannabes”: figures who try to resemble instead of becoming, who try to display instead of living. In sociology, this is defined as conspicuous consumption. In psychology, social comparison theory comes into play. As people constantly compare themselves to the curated moments of others, feelings of inadequacy deepen. Likes, approvals, and follower counts replace self-worth. The self is surrendered to the algorithm.

While people share what they eat, they become indifferent to those who are hungry. This is not forgetfulness; it is desensitization. Continuous exposure to content erodes empathy. In psychology, this is called empathy fatigue. The suffering of others is reduced to “content” on a screen. Hunger, poverty, and war turn into background noise. The photo of the plate is sharp; the human conscience is blurred.

When people share the places they visit, they no longer consider those who cannot go there. This is symbolic violence. No one believes they are directly harming anyone, yet the constant display of “accessible luxury” produces worthlessness and anger in those left out. When new and expensive items are shared, the possibility that those who cannot afford them may be driven toward unhappiness—or even crime—is ignored. This is where individual innocence intersects with collective irresponsibility.

Social media is an addiction. The mechanism behind it is clear: variable ratio reinforcement. Sometimes likes appear, sometimes they do not; this keeps the dopamine loop constantly active. People cannot put the phone down because they do not know what the next swipe will bring. This uncertainty hijacks the brain’s reward system. As time flows away, the real world is silently missed.

People become aware not of what is happening in the world, but of what is trending. Reality gains meaning only after passing through the algorithm’s filter. This is a loss of reality. The agenda feeds on visibility, not depth. Information is stripped of context. Reacting is taught instead of thinking.

In this environment, “influencers” are deified. Visibility, not competence, is glorified. Charisma is measured by content frequency. In sociology, this is the digitalization of charismatic authority. In psychology, it corresponds to projective identification: people live the life they cannot have through someone else. Instead of criticizing, they worship; instead of questioning, they follow.

The result is lonely individuals within crowds. Everyone speaks, but no one hears. Everyone shows, but no one sees. Social media produces distance instead of connection, images instead of meaning. The problem is not the technology itself, but the consciousness surrendered to it.

Awareness does not begin by turning off the screen, but by opening perspective. One must think before sharing, pause before comparing, and feel before consuming. The social does not begin on a screen; it begins with responsibility. And true connection is quiet enough that no algorithm can ever measure it.