1-Page Article C (Speech)

COM105—Introduction to Communications

National Louis University

Professor Schaefer

Christopher George

6/13/2021
 SPEECH: The Consequences of Social Media on the Human Ego
Just about everywhere you look now, the Internet and its effects can be seen, clear as day.
We often think of advanced technology, lightspeed communications systems, and improved
business practices as a result of the Internet, which are undeniable benefits for society. However,
though it lurks in the back of all our minds, the lesser discussed topic is the effect of the Internet,
particularly social media, on interpersonal connection and the human ego. I believe that the
consequences felt by the influx of social media are incredibly more grave than we realize, and I
believe that I am not alone in feeling this way.
In order to fully understand the direness of the problem, as well as know how to respond
to it, we need to look at the reasoning for why social media is causing such a detriment to
interpersonal relationships and self-worth; the first reason that comes to mind is comparative
happiness. Psychologists, scientists, and researchers all alike have discussed the phenomenon in
which anybody, regardless of wealth or status, always tends to become used to their
circumstances given time. In the field of Psychology, the term actually has a formal name:
“Happiness Set Point”. What this means, essentially, is that all of the Justin Biebers, Kim
Kardashians, and other outrageously successful celebrities of the world will experience the same
eventual boredom, complacency, and loathing for their current circumstances, regardless of the
multi-million-dollar car they drive, mansion they live in, and extreme amounts of attention they
receive. And, what this means in relation to you, is that you should learn to be happy with what
you have. Simple… until social media came along.
Now, for every twenty times we open our phone a day, we are bombarded with images of
people we don’t know, living extravagantly better lives than us in their boats, cars, mansions,
vacations, photoshoots, jewelry—you name it. What this does for our comparative happiness is
grave, transforming our lives full of blessings into hollow, imperfect subjects to obsess over;
heck, we may even own BMWs and Mercedes Benzs, but find them paling in comparison to
Kanye West’s new Bugatti! These are problems we never would have experienced, except given
the painful awareness of what is going on in everybody else’s lives via social media.
The second, and even more pressing reason, revolves all around self image, body image,
and confidence issues. I hope it is blatantly clear that I don’t expect to have the sort of insight or
first hand understanding of a woman’s struggle that equips me to speak on the topic, but it is a
pretty well known fact that social media distorts and manipulates what is the commonly accepted
“ideal body image”—in fact, this practice has even been perpetuated long before social media by
pop culture magazines, TV shows, and popular media. For women dealing with issues in self
confidence related to body image, the ever-so-unrealistic “standard body type” featured in every
ad for their favorite clothing brands, stores, etc. paints a false image that this is what the average
woman should look like. Everyone is well aware that the typical person doesn’t come equipped
with expensive facial implants, “perfectly” slim body, and fancy clothes that we, the actual
average Americans don’t just happen to have.
So, I truly hope it has become increasingly clear just how significant the threat that social
media poses to society is. While we have almost all assimilated to the way the modern world
works, it has become more and more important to remember our boundaries, and more
importantly, what is real and what is not. As you leave this place today, remember well what
makes you happy about your life—the relationships, friends, experiences, heck, even your
possessions! But what you should not do, foremost, is to let your gaze wander and become
fixated on other people’s lifestyles on social media. It’s time to be happy with what we have.