Digital Minimalism - Post #5 - The Likes

(The art on my blog is not mine. I just like it.)

So, I am not sure if Cal Newport mentioned this in his book, 'Digital Minimalism', but I had some thoughts about the 'like' button. Upon reflection, it's more socially insidious than the 5-star system first used by Youtube. Because we ALL want to be liked. Because wanting to be loved and accepted by society is important for everyone. So, we want what we say to be liked. The more liked we are, the more secure we feel in our expression.

But how do I stop looking at things I created on a platform for personal reasons, for the likes? Yes, I post things on the platforms I use. (Like this one!)

Anyway, I thought about this for awhile, trying to unravel the yarn. The reason why I want 'likes' is because I am insecure in what I am saying. If I was talking about writing or history, I wouldn't feel as insecure. Because I have confidence in my knowledge or skill.

But when I am trying something new, or am unsure, I want that 'like' for reassurance. I am not sure what it's like for other people, but I think on some level, we all want reassurance that other people like what we post or say. Because it's what we want to believe it correlates to how 'accepted' we are in society. That's why I think the 'like' system is more socially damaging than a star system or what not. Because we all want to be heard and we all want to be loved. (Or in this case, 'liked'.)