"STUDY: Social Media Is For Narcissists" reads a headline on Mashable. A slight misrepresentation of the actual study from my point of view, but lets run with it. It is a little bit like stating narcissistic tendencies correspond to more time spent in front of the mirror. The real issue that possibly needs pointing out is that social media promotes narcissism. While extolling the benefits the web2.0 age has brought us, we tend to overlook how the web2.0 era is fundamentally altering us. That alone does not make it bad; all I intend is that we need a more comprehensive cost-benefit analysis perhaps.
Social media promotes narcissism by putting the individual front and center. Every thought and desire finds an outlet via some virtual platform or the other. Tweets, status messages, blogs, profile pictures, vlogs, even like and dislike buttons focus on ME. With the influx of social media in our daily lives isn't it natural that we become more narcissistic as a society? After all who could resist the opportunity to be whatever they want to be; its the new apple in the garden of eden. It's like looking in the mirror and seeing the perfect image you always wanted to see but never could given the laws of physics. So really social media is for society - a more narcissistic society.
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