99.99% of human history lacked social media; now 4.95 billion use it. Consumer habits are formed unconsciously, affecting decisions and behaviors. Kids absorb social media influences during crucial developmental stages, with increasing exposure leading to harmful comparisons and values. While social media has benefits, it also presents unprecedented temptations, impacting well-being and leading to societal issues. However, awareness and intentional habits can reverse these effects, restoring individual sovereignty and mastery over one's actions.
Psychological Sovereignty Are you truly free? Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:41:26 GMT https://healthandfreedom.substack.com/p/psychological-sovereignty For 99.99% of all human history, there was no social media.
Today, the number of people using social media is over 4.95 billion worldwide. That’s over 50% of the world’s population.
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Now consider this quote from Harvard Business Review …
“95% of all cognition, all the thinking that drives our decisions and behaviors, occurs unconsciously—and that includes consumer decisions.”
On top of this, according to habit expert James Clear, approximately 50% of our daily actions are driven by our unconscious habits.
Look at these similarities Consumer technology psychology alongside its partner in crime, advertising psychology, is very similar to habit-forming psychology. The business model is to get you hooked so they can use your data to sell more ads. The more you view, the more money they make.
Look at the similarities between the Habit Loop, the Hooked Model, and the AIDA Framework…
The Habit Loop by James Clear (Author of Atomic Habits) [Habit Psychology] Cue
Craving
Action
Reward
Hooked Model by Nir Eyal (Author of Hooked) [Consumer Tech Psychology] Trigger
Action
Variable Reward
Investment
The AIDA Framework [Advertising Psychology] Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
Whether tapping into our habits and getting us hooked to their platforms, or repeated marketing using the “8 touches” method to get us to buy, the social media ecosystem is programming our subconscious and therefore our lives.
But the thing that concerns us most is this...
Our Children Are Most Exposed On the Lex Friedman Podcast, former CIA agent, Andrew Bustamante, brought to light the well-understood suggestibility of our youth. Based on the works of Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, Lawrence Kohlberg, and others the CIA breaks the stages of psychological development into three phases.
- Ages 1-7: The Absorbent Mind Rapid Learning : Children are extremely open to learning new things.
Unfiltered Absorption : They absorb information without much discrimination or critical analysis.
Formative Years : Fundamental cognitive, emotional, and social skills are formed.
Fortunately, during this phase, children tend to be protected from social media. But it does not protect them from things like YouTube which is often used as a tool by parents to "calm their children." YouTube's entire business model is ad-based so while watching their friendly shows, children still are susceptible to this advertising psychology.
- Ages 8-13: The Programmable Mind Critical Learning Period : They begin to form lasting beliefs, values, and attitudes.
Selective Absorption : Information absorbed during this period tends to have a lasting impact.
Peer Influence : Peers and social interactions become increasingly important.
40%-60% of children in this age group are on social media. During this period, children's beliefs and values are being formed. These values used to be formed by nature and strong family dynamics, but have quietly been replaced by the vicious ecosystem which resides in social media.
- Ages 14-25: The Hardening Mind Cognitive Maturity : Critical thinking skills develop, and individuals become more analytical and skeptical.
Identity Formation : This is a key period for identity formation and solidifying one's sense of self.
Resistance to Change : Existing beliefs and values become more entrenched, making it harder to change them.
90% of children in this age group are on social media. During this period, children's identities are being formed. But they are not being formed on their own. They are being formed with the constant comparison traps and artificial expressions they are repetitively exposed to on social media.
This is not to say that social media is pure evil. There is some good, particularly in the distribution of truth and protection of freedom of speech (thank you Elon). But it is important to be aware of the harm as well. Past generations did not have nearly as much temptation. And our ancestors have warned us how to handle such things...
Teachings on Temptations In Christianity, temptations are viewed as a test of faith and moral strengths and are embedded in the most well-known scripture such as the story of the Garden of Eden and Jesus being tempted by the devil during his 40-day fast.
In Buddhism, temptations are linked to desires and attachments that lead to suffering. It is highlighted in the second of the Four Noble Truths and in the story of Mara's temptations of worldly pleasures to pull the Buddha away from enlightenment.
In Philosophy, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle all spoke on temptations and the importance of self-knowledge and virtue in resisting them.
In Classical Literature, including the works of Homer's "Odyssey" and Dante's "Divine Comedy" the theme of resisting temptation and its consequences if you do/don't are very common.
Yet today, thanks to social media and the advertisements that reside within, we have more temptation than ever before. Maybe even more temptation in one day than our ancestors had in a lifetime.
It is time to ask ourselves… if we are constantly bombarded with temptations corrupting our subconscious which drives most of our behavior...
Are we truly free? Our subconscious thoughts (95% of thoughts) and habitual behavior (50% of actions) make up the majority of our lives. Both these have been targeted leading to destructive behavior that no sane human would choose.
A free human filled with contentment and love would never choose to self-destruct. Yet we find ourselves in a society loaded with self-destructive behavior such as the consumption of poisonous artificial foods, drugs, pornography, negative media, etc. which have all led to radical rises in anxiety, depression, and even suicide... especially in our youth!
But there is hope...
'Reverse Psychology'
The same technology and psychology that has been used to get people hooked to bad, can also be used for good.
We can use this technology and psychology to give people mastery over their habits and become sovereign again.
You become a master of one habit and you realize you can be a master of them all. This mastery gives you 50% of your daily actions and 95% of your daily thoughts back.
One habit at a time, we become sovereign again.
With Truth 🍯 & Love 🥛,
Shaughnessy 🐺
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