You know whats Not on Roids, apparently? Social media’s effect on our collective psyche, according to Elon Musk. Yes, that Elon Musk. The guy who bought Twitter for $44 billion and now seems perpetually surprised by its chaotic nature. He’s decided to publicly diagnose Instagram with depression-inducing properties and Twitter with a chronic anger problem. Because apparently, billionaires have so much free time on their hands.
Lets unpack this, shall we? First, the Instagram diagnosis: Musk claims it fosters an environment where people appear perpetually flawless – looking better, feeling happier than they actually are. Back in 2018, during a chat with Joe Rogan (a truly enlightening experience for everyone involved), he mused that social media leads us to believe others have a much better life than they really do, and Instagram specifically contributes to feelings of inadequacy by showcasing unrealistic beauty standards and curated happiness. So, basically, its a highlight reel of fake smiles and filtered faces designed to make you feel like your perfectly acceptable existence is…lacking. Thanks for that, Elon. Really helpful.
And then there’s Twitter – the platform he now owns, mind you – which apparently makes everyone angry. Which is saying something, considering it already was a hotbed of outrage before his stewardship. He even admitted to laughing on Twitter himself, in a bizarrely defensive response to someone claiming it wasnt their source of anger. As if admitting his own enjoyment somehow negates the platform’s propensity for sparking digital feuds!
Now, he’s suggesting we spend less time online. A noble sentiment coming from a man who practically lives on the internet, dispensing pronouncements and occasionally wondering aloud if he should sell all his possessions to fund a Martian colony. Its rich, isnt it? Like a doctor telling you to eat healthier after they just devoured an entire chocolate cake.
So yes, Instagram might make some of us sad, and Twitter might trigger our inner rage monster, but perhaps instead of publicly diagnosing them, Mr. Musk could focus on fixing the things he bought? Just a thought.
