Social media Fallacies

[Ubyamos]

I think a lot of people are aware of their real status, but just don't want everyone else to know. I think its because people seldom get real help from online friends concerning their situations so they tend to post things that suggest "everything is fine" situation. For example there is no point posting that you are broke if no one is going to reach out and give you money or at least tell you how to get some easily.
About young people and social media lies, I think parents and older siblings needs to let them understand that most posts on social media are not true so that they don't grow up believing social media lies.

[GCamer]

EWinters wrote:
This has been researched by social psychologists, and yes, people typically do post only happy moments.

Although I haven't read any research about people posting only happy moments, I've recently stumbled upon a research by the University of Oxford about trolls in social media hired by governments to manipulate public opinion.

Though this might be off the "creating a better better image in social media" topic, I think this still falls under social media fallacies since it is said that fake accounts were made to spread false propaganda.

Ubyamos wrote:
There is no point posting that you are broke if no one is going to reach out and give you money or at least tell you how to get some easily

This just reminds me that some people post negative things that happened in their life just for the sake of gaining sympathy from other people.

[Kalin Adi]

I think we cannot blame only the people who pretend to be someone who he/she isn't (fallacy). I think we all have a moral obligation to look for the truth. We cannot believe everything just because it is in front of us. There's more behind a smile in a picture. Sometime, people just make an interpretation of what they see in the social media and start talking about his/her interpretations as facts.

[GCamer]

people just make an interpretation of what they see in the social media and start talking about his/her interpretations as facts.

You're right, Kalin Adi. I don't know if it applies to other countries but in the Philippines most people only use free data and so browsing is limited. Some people tend to read the headline and then immediately comment or make a fuzz about it. Some people make false headings or post false photos on social media with the intent of fooling other people. And so, like what you said, we have the obligation to check first before we believe anything that we see or read on social media.

[El-kanah]

Likewise I also, people go on social media to display only their good sides.

[Ssinghal]

I agree with you. I believe people are so immersed in showing others that they live a happy life, that they never actually get time to be happy. Social media is good only when used constructively.

[bookiegalke]

social media, if used well, can bring out the best in people. it really is a matter of making the right choices in life

[GCamer]

social media, if used well, can bring out the best in people

Let's hope people will learn to use media properly. If so, the world would be a better place.

[Steph K]

Absolutely, people curate this version of their lives on social media that is rarely true. All the good things and photos with perfect lighting and filters are what ends up on social media. The reality of our lives, which isn't always so pleasant, is rarely seen.

[LadyClaire]

I certainly agree, but truth be told, social media or perhaps other forms of technology should be mastered and controlled and not avoided.

[Atabon Della]

I couldn't agree less. Social media actually take people out of reality. It has risen to a point where even relationships are destroyed. How can one be immersed in their iPad for long hours. It is precious time that could be used to make our relationships better.

[hlc85]

I do not know if it is an intentional act to post pictures to make people think that one is perpetually happy. I think it is a side effect from using social media. People will only want to post the happy events in their lives and they will neglect to discuss the negative ones. Therefore, we believe that they are content or successful when they could be miserable.

[ReviewerDiksha]

The fact stated in the book is completely true. I see my cousins rank each other based on the number of 'likes' they manage to get on a picture they posted on Facebook. And it also presents a false identity to oneself, it consumes both time and the mind of a person.

[lrbfilm]

It is social scrapbooking. People share the hard moments on social media too.

[Christina Rose]

I don't really have an issue with people posting positive aspects of their life or relationships on social media. It can act as a sort of public gratitude journal where the idea is for you to write down (or post online in this case) what you are grateful for that day in order to train your mind to be more positive. It can be heathy as long as what you're posting is true. Living an alternate reality online, of course, is a different scenario altogether and wouldn't be heathy.
I think posting the positive versus the negative is only natural. More often than not, those who are constantly airing out their dirty laundry are seeking attention for themselves, or they are seeking negative attention for whomever is the subject of their posts.