In Search of Meaning: Thoughts on Social Media

“Man is a being in search of meaning.”

~Plato

In unsurprising “big news” over the past couple of weeks, a whistleblower revealed that Facebook has been intentionally creating algorithms that thrive on negative content. As another example of how wellness, health and lack of drama don't feed the bottom line, perhaps we are not surprised. However, as these news cycle shooting stars tend to do...the social media sky has been lit up to reveal some of the dark places in the conversation regarding the impact of social media on our children.

Generation Z spends as much time consuming social media as they do at school. According to a report by Common Sense Media, today’s students average about 7.5 hours per day consuming media. The average age for a child getting their first smartphone is now 10.3 years old, while nearly one in five children have a phone by age eight.?

The drawbacks of social media can be significant, as outlined in many studies.?

• Social comparisons leading to lower self-esteem.?
• Dealing with FOMO, the fear of missing out.?
• Suffering heightened anxiety due to social stress.?
• Feeling pressure to respond immediately to texts and messages.?
• Facing an increasing wave of perfectionism.?
• Losing sleep due to device usage at night.?

Certainly, there is much to worry about.

But it’s not all bad. We are inherently social creatures and we crave that connection. If this need is not fulfilled, it can be psychologically and emotionally damaging.

“As much as we complain about other people, there is nothing worse for mental health than a social desert.”

~ Charles Montgomery, Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design

Social media can be a genuine source for connections. Instagram has become the corner store or the malt shop. It’s where kids hang, fall in love, get informed and inspired, explore, and connect with the unknown. It’s both deeply personal and entirely exposed. Online interaction combats feelings of isolation and loneliness. And, as we traversed the pandemic there’s no telling how many children benefited from the connection.

So, where does that leave us?

A piece of this is the generational divide. As with music and clothing, adult biases about social media at least partly stem from the fact that it was not our experience growing up. We tend to value social interactions that we experienced. We often cast proclamations from the mountaintop that we learned how to interact better with people without social media. There’s no research I could find that substantiates this broad claim. I might also add that the generally more restrictive bubble we as a society have placed on our children in the past 20-30 years has, no doubt, contributed to the ubiquitousness of social media.

What are our next steps?

Regardless of the medium, we might start by heeding the words of the well-respected and influential clinical psychologist, Carl Rogers. “How can I provide a relationship which people may use for their own personal growth?”?

So, how does Currey Ingram ensure that social beings and social relationships are fostered, notwithstanding and perhaps despite social media?

There’s the RULER program. Implementation began several years ago and today we have a highly integrated K-12 program that weaves language and understanding of social-emotional behavior into all types of school interactions. It’s a good idea in a digital world or an analog world.

More specifically related to social media and technology, we have been a Common Sense Media school for several years now. Common Sense Media is one the preeminent “digital citizenship” platforms for the K-12 education market and provides structured curricula and approaches for the education of a generation of digital citizens.?

Additionally, just this year we have become a Common Sense Connected School. The Connected School platform extends Common Sense Media’s support to help guide families through the challenges of the digital world. We will continue to share great resources and tips with parents throughout the year, as well as send out invitations to attend exclusive virtual parent webinars featuring national experts. Topics include managing screen time and the impact of media and technology on our children's mental health, learning and development.?

Finally, we also started Middle School Digital Literacy classes this year as an early intervention for addressing the challenges of coping with our digital world.

The reality is that technology is going to become more integrated in our lives, not less. And, although hard to believe, the influence of technology on the human experience is in its infancy. We will not completely know the impact of social media on students’ social-emotional health for years. However, Currey Ingram will always work towards ensuring a positive and rewarding online experience.