The New Narcotic: How we become slaves to the "likes"

April 24, 2023

 

 

Thus did Professor James Davies, Professor of Medical Anthropology and Psychology at Roehampton University, describe in a very noteworthy interview with Kathimerini (April 17, 2023) the addiction caused by social networks to their users—especially adolescents—and particularly the mechanism of "likes" (approvals), with which these networks are directly connected. The professor links the tripling of mental disability rates in recent decades to the widespread use of social networking media.

Specifically, in response to the question, “How does the use of social networking media affect our mental health,” the professor, among other things, states the following: “We know that nearly 60% of adolescents report having experienced some kind of online harassment or bullying.” Also, “half of the adolescents report constant use of the internet, which is associated with the deterioration of their mental health. The continuous and aimless scrolling of the screen significantly reduces our ability to engage in any type of focused attention, that is, the kind of attention that is absolutely necessary, for example, for our academic performance. This phenomenon could now be considered a social problem.”

And he continues: “We have also heard about the harmful emotional effects of the ‘culture of comparison’ on social media, where we are condemned to constantly compare ourselves unfavorably with the so-called ‘wonderful’ lives that everyone else posts. Social media teaches an entire generation (…) that one of the most important professions in life is the construction of an attractive and alluring image of ourselves. Therefore, the grave danger (…) is that the cultivation of image is now being confused with the cultivation of character. Instead of working to develop useful and commendable personal qualities, we expend great energy to improve our online portrait.”

Professor Davies emphasizes that in this way we become slaves to the “likes” that others give us, and we continually adjust our emotions and inner states according to whether or not we are accepted by society through the various posts we make on the internet about ourselves. “The likes,” he concludes, “are a kind of new virtual narcotic, a cheap (…) psychotropic euphoria that we seek more and more in order to boost our self-esteem,” instead of the hard work required to build our character within real relationships with the people around us.

These observations of the distinguished professor are very important. Wherever God is ultimately cast out, there man is idolized and seeks validation from other men and vain glory, cheap and fleeting. What a degeneration, indeed!

 

Greek source: https://www.osotir.org/2023/04/24/to-neo-narkotiko/

Shared by the Metropolitan of Oropos and Phyle: 

https://www.imoph.org/pdfs/2025/09/29/20250929aNeo-narkotiko-likes.pdf