The recent increase in social media use among young adults has sparked the concern of many people, including alternative pop band, Echosmith. Back in September, the band released a single, “Lonely Generation,” which conveys a darker side of our collective use of the internet and social media.
“[‘Lonely Generation’] is the representation of what social media is,” said lead singer, Syndey Sierota to MTV News, “You see all these happy and amazing lives and highlight reels and we don’t really know what’s going on behind that … what’s really going on in someone’s heart or their mind,” according to mtv.com.
A study, “Social Media by Generation,” by the World Economic Forum revealed that Generation Z spends approximately two more hours on social media than Millenials. The Pew Research Center concluded that Facebook is the most used social media site among U.S. adults, with Instagram and Snapchat being more commonly used by young adults.
These social networking sites, along with others like Twitter, have enhanced our ability to connect with others and share our lives. Social media has become a universal tool that can be utilized for almost anything; business, news, shopping, the list goes on. It’s become more of a necessity for our access to the changing landscape and immediacy of the world around us.
There has also been a shift in the focus and goals of social media usage in recent years. Our personal profiles have become about increasing our followers or likes to boost our social status both online and offline. Many factors could have influenced this changed such as access to user insights, the commodification of social media posts to support business ventures, or the new trend of “influencers.” Several studies have indicated that the augmented usage of social media has led to negative impacts on mental health.
The conversation about social media is clearly shifting with mental health becoming more commonly discussed in relation to the use of social media. This song by Echosmith participates in the growing discussion. “We’re the lonely generation, a pixelated version of ourselves,” Echosmith sings, “Empty conversations. I’ve disconnected, now I’m by myself.” Although we have the ability to connect with one another, this song reminds us that social media can be an isolating experience.
Social media has become about creating a perfected representation of ourselves, also known as the “pixelated version,” as Echosmith lyricize, that does not convey the complete reality of our lives — only the aspects we want people to see. This deceiving image we imply online is intended to increase our popularity on social media. Unfortunately, it has created an environment where we are constantly competing with one another — and ourselves — rather than connecting, which explains why using social media can have unpleasant ramifications for mental health.
With my experience of being an avid social media user, and after listening to this song and reading these studies about social media use and mental health, I have to agree with Echosmith that social media has really made us, Gen-Z, the “lonely generation.”
I feel that it is important to take a moment and step back from the world that is locked in our screens once in awhile. By giving ourselves this occasional break from social media, we can resolve these feelings of isolation and loneliness by genuinely focusing on ourselves and those around us, rather than on the fabricated online realities, and forming real-life connections.
