Social media as a values statement

April 19, 2021

How has social media evolved in parallel with our liberalized, global economy?

There are many economic, social, geopolitical and practical reasons behind our dependence on social media today.

Designed to increase connection through humans’ inherent fascination with stories and peers, social media has changed the way we interact, communicate, cooperate and treat each other.

In many ways, social media has grown in step with the economic trends of the last 20 years—many of which favored liberalized, market-driven economies that allowed companies to prioritize shareholder returns.

The pandemic has required us to revisit all of these assumptions.

How has our liberalized, global economy reflected what we share on social media?

Competitive dynamics in our economy have influenced what we value in society.

Although this naturally varies based on geography, the culture of consumption runs through much of what we see today in social media.

In many ways, social media has caused us to overemphasize certain “economic” values at the expense of other “human” values.

Social media has made conspicuous consumption more ubiquitous and more invasive.

Celebration of consumption has weakened our social fabric.

How can we reorient ourselves towards a new way of “celebrating” on social media? 

CPM