Must-See Documentary

[KevinM]

I imagine a number of you have heard of the new documentary on Netflix, “The Social Dilemma,” but I watched it last night with my wife and 26 year-old daughter, and felt almost physically sick. If ever there was a required viewing documentary, this is it.

For the un-initiated, it is a dire warning from numerous very high level social media tech designers that the huge tech companies—Google, Facebook, etc.—have created manipulative artificial intelligence monsters that are ripping apart society here and around the globe. I was aware of the psychological manipulation built into these platforms, but this in-depth description hammered it home in terrifying fashion.

You will want to throw your smartphone, computer, and tablets in the trash and unplug as much as possible after seeing it. The tech experts interviewed truly believe the future of our society, the health of young people, and the continuation of society as we know it is at stake. So do I after watching this. Our time here is limited, but those with children of any age will fear for their future after seeing this.

As if we don’t have enough to worry about....Kevin

 

[pittsburghgal]

I have never felt comfortable about social media and refused to do any of it. I was ridiculed by many in my family because of this and after watching "The Social Dilemma" I now feel vindicated!

Sharon

 

[KevinM]

You should feel vindicated, Sharon. It’s real and unfolding as several tech insiders predicted.

Perhaps the most famous “oracle” of Silicon Valley who saw this coming years ago, Jaron Lanier (the guy in the documentary with long dreadlocks), has been warning of this for several years, and published a book on the subject in 2018 called “Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts.” There is a great August interview with him in GQ. com, and worth a read.

Lanier is one of our countries most interesting, iconoclastic, and brilliant people, He enrolled at New Mexico State at 13, and his IQ approaches 200. Father of virtual reality, master of hundreds of rare musical instruments, and a true tech visionary, his concerns should be taken seriously, along with the others interviewed in the documentary. Scary, scary, stuff we are seeing it played out in real time. K

 

[lisa g]

Same here Sharon, I too do not use social media. I took heat from friends saying I needed to get on Facebook. My comment was I speak to who I want and need to. I have no desire tracking down people I went to school with. We will be watching the documentary.

 

[EricInLA]

Thanks for putting out the word. It's been on our list to watch, so now I'll move it to the top of the list.

 

[KimT]

I put self-imposed limits on Facebook. It really is the only way I can stay in touch with my cousins and see pictures. When I worked I was active on Twitter. No more.

I never use my phone for social media or use push notifications.

If I had kids, they wouldn't own a smart phone. Unfortunately, I see young people tethered to their phones when they should be engaging with real people sitting next to them.

Technology has been both a blessing and a curse for our society.

 

[TippiLeigh]

I watched this last week and like you @KevinM , I felt physically ill. I had already started to slowly back off of social media this year. (I truly believe all the chaos and stress of 2020 set my neurological issues into overdrive, speeding everything up.) I couldn’t stand seeing people I thought were kind, smart people, act like total jerks.

And I’ve always known that the financial incentive of these platforms was always there, I guess I just never realized to what extent that impact had on all of us.

I’m still go on Facebook occasionally, but I’m very careful to not scroll through the feed. I just go straight to a few groups that I find helpful, (like PLS/ALS sites, etc.) It’s another reason I keep coming back here. With staying off of social media, it’s the only other place I can get information and support.