Motivation
What motivates others to pursue social media? For those who spend hours and hours a day consuming media what lies behind the will to do it? Anyone who spends time on social media is constantly recieving information. All social media platforms adapt to your needs, you are able to follow your friends, people you support and if you allow it the advertisments you see are related to your interested. When television became easily accessible people would spend their free time consuming television stations becasue it was an easier and more entertaining fix to quick dopamine. Now, social media platforms especially TikTok are taking over that space. Social media is not a place to be able to relax you are contanstly being influenced and your brain is overworking due to all the information you can consume in a short period of time. Social motivation is more important and intriguing than personal motivation. You have this will to participate in the same way that everyone is. You crave the happiness that social media can bring to you.
Social Media is replacing television, but not streaming services. I view television as a way to relax, as social media can become an information overload. Shirky states how “Social motivations can drive far more participation than personal motivation alone.” (Cognitive Surplus) Therefore we are all participating in social media because someone else is. People are adapting to social media norms because that is what others are doing.
Sources:
Shirky, C. (2012). Cognitive surplus: Creativity and generosity in a connected age. Penguin Press.
