Much is said about the effects of the internet on world society. Some argue that it is good, because it promotes contact with different cultures and references, while others say that it is toxic, because it can influence people negatively and on an immense scale. It is not possible to say that any of these perspectives is wrong. The internet is good and toxic, insofar as its users use it.
Think of it this way: if you follow people who share content that makes you feel good, it will be easier to identify the positive side of the internet. On the other hand, if you follow people who spread content that you don't like, or if you constantly see people being influenced by it, it will be easier to say that the internet is toxic. It all depends on your reality and your point of view.
However, there is one factor that applies to all online experiences: self-knowledge is essential to maintain your sanity in this scenario. To understand this statement, you must first be sure what self-knowledge is. It is a process that consists of unraveling your true essence, evaluating who you are, what you seek, what your flaws are and where your opinions about the world come from.
But how does self-knowledge work in the digital age? How can it help us to have a better experience on the social networks we normally use? How is it present and important for each age group? Next, understand each of these questions!
Self-knowledge in the digital age
In the digital age, we are always in contact with a virtual world, which can be different from the reality in which we live. In a sense, this allows us to get in touch with other ways of thinking, with other cultures and with other ways of existing. In another sense, this can imprison us in a scenario that does not correspond to what really matters in our lives.
With the phenomenon of digital influencers and sponsored ads, we come into contact with content that becomes items of desire. We want to consume what people with a lot of followers consume, we want to have a happy and successful life like the people we follow. We want to be the same and them. The reality of someone we may not even know in real life becomes our greatest desire, and we understand that life as the definition of success rather than a possibility of success.
It is through self-knowledge in the digital age that we are able to combat this distortion that occupies our minds. If you are aware of what you want for your life, of what your reality is and that it is possible to be happy following your goals, other people will not have power over your existence and your life plans.
If you are a person with more visibility online and you need to deal with haters, or negative comments about yourself, self-knowledge is what will help you to deal with it better. Once we know who we are, what our flaws and our strengths are, the opinion of others about us is no longer important and relevant. After all, it's just an opinion, not a truth.
If you already understand how essential self-knowledge in the digital age is, keep reading the article to find out how it is present at each age, and how it can improve each person's experience on the internet!
Self-knowledge during childhood
During childhood, when a person is still discovering the world, what are his tastes and what are his desires, it is very easy for him to be influenced by everything he sees around him. To delight a child, just show them something colorful, fun or with an interesting sound.
So, the biggest risk to children during the digital age is the unbridled exposure to product and toy ads, which are aired through YouTube channels aimed at children, which carry out the process of unboxing these items (unboxing).
Such videos featuring toys and other items arouse the curiosity and desire of children, who still do not understand how money works, and do not know that acquiring most of these products would be financially unfeasible for most Spanish families. So, when they don't get what they want so much, they can feel frustrated and unhappy, blaming family members for it.
Intel Security, in 2015, conducted a survey on social media users, and their age. It was identified that 83% of Internet users are children from 8 to 12 years old who are active on the Internet. That is, they are in direct contact with the ads.
In 2019, however, the Spanish Public Ministry demanded that Google remove YouTube videos that featured toy ads. In this way, children would have contact with this type of reduced content.
Given that children can have their lives harmed by exposure to internet advertisements, self-knowledge must come from talking to their families and from controlling the content they consume.
A child who is still being educated cannot develop self-knowledge about himself, but he can learn, little by little and with the people in his social life, that the toys and products he has can bring him satisfaction and fun, without needing everything he needs. see in advertisements.
The control of family members over the content that children consume is also essential, to ensure that they are not being exposed to materials that are inappropriate for their age groups or that may promote desires that will not be met. Keep up the dialogue with your kids!
Self-knowledge during adolescence
During adolescence, contact with the internet is even greater. People are more present on social networks and can even build friendships that only exist in the virtual environment. There are numerous hidden dangers in online entertainment, such as cyberbullying and exposure to pornography and negative influences, but let's look at how self-knowledge shows up in this threatening universe.
Unlike childhood, a teenager's family members are unlikely to be able to control the content he or she consumes. As she is already gaining independence, she can believe that her relatives would be getting in her way in this process of discovering accounts to follow and videos to watch.
Unfortunately, the situation can easily get out of hand. Talking about cases of cyberbullying, which are characterized by virtual aggressions against a person (cursing, intimidation, threats, etc.), a survey promoted by Intel Security, in 2015, revealed that 66% of young Spanish people aged between 8 and 16 who participated survey have already witnessed cases of aggression on the internet.
Often, a negative comment about someone's appearance may seem harmless to the writer, but it will have serious consequences for the receiver. In this sense, self-knowledge would help a person not to be shaken by possible criticism or attacks.
Cyberbullying must be punished, and adolescents must be able to talk about it with their families, but it is from self-knowledge that these young people will be aware that what they say about them on the internet does not correspond to who they really are.
Another internet threat to teens is exposure to pornography. The UK counseling service ChildLine carried out a study in 2015 with 700 adolescents aged 12 to 13 years on this topic. It was found that 1 in 5 teenagers received an image on the internet that they found disturbing, while 12% said they had already participated in some way in an explicit sex video.
The problem with exposure to pornography is the formation of an image about sex that does not correspond to reality. The sexualization and objectification of bodies can make people feel bad about themselves, or have expectations about the sexual act that cannot be met.
With self-knowledge, however, teens can learn about their bodies, what gives them pleasure, and safe ways to protect themselves from STIs or prevent pregnancy. Sex education and information about the importance of knowing each other, in this case, can be provided by family members or schools.
Finally, exposure to influencer or celebrity profiles can threaten many teenagers' self-esteem. Boys and girls can create an unrealistic image of an ideal body, and they will guide their eating habits in a way that achieves an impossible goal, since many times the photos that these people share are edited.
Through self-knowledge, adolescents can understand that their bodies are unique and that this makes them special. Trying to look like other people won't make them more visible or better. It's important that they know who they are and what they really like so they don't give in to this kind of influence.
Self-knowledge during adulthood
In adulthood, many of the problems of adolescence can still remain on the internet. However, another situation arises that can harm a person's well-being: comparison with successful people.
During childhood and adolescence, people do not think intensely about what they expect from their lives. In adulthood, it is common for them to question themselves about the careers they have chosen, about their families and about the choices they have made so far.
When an adult comes across a profile of someone who appears to have more money, more happiness, more leisure time, and more success, they immediately make comparisons with their own lives. You begin to imagine that everything you have is not good, that you have to change, that you have to be like this other person.
In this sense, self-knowledge emerges as an ally for the adult audience that is inserted in social networks. If an adult person is aware of his own choices and if his life goals are well defined, he will know that the lives of others are just another way of living and not the only way of living.
Thus, comparisons tend to decrease, as well as problems that may have started in adolescence. Another tip is to surround yourself, online, with people who have life choices similar to yours, and who are happy that way. A positive influence will do good for the image you build about your life.
Self-knowledge during old age
The biggest problems with using the internet during old age are misinformation and the risk of falling into virtual scams. As older people are not used to the digital environment, they may find it difficult to separate reality from fiction on the internet, which causes them to share fake news or fall victim to scams without realizing it.
The practice of tricking people into sharing bank details and confidential information is called phishing, and the elderly suffer the most from it. As they find it difficult to verify the veracity of messages or news, they end up believing that a person with bad intentions is who they say they are, without suspecting.
To protect elderly people from these scams, the ideal is for family members to always talk to them about it, to prevent the worst from happening. Thus, self-knowledge is useless for the elderly, but there is another situation in which it is useful.
The comparisons that happened during adulthood can still take over an elderly person's life. She may come across friends who are living in a different way than she is, and she imagines that it would be better if she were more like them. And then, the feeling of loneliness and unhappiness will take over that person, who forgets that the life he has is also good.
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Self-knowledge is essential for the elderly to remember who they are and that their lives were very well lived, as well as those of other people. If they are not able to carry out this process of looking at themselves, they should receive help from family members.
The digital age has a number of benefits, but it also hides pitfalls that can cause a lot of unease. If you want to escape from problems like this, the best thing to do is to develop your self-knowledge and always talk to the people who are part of your social circle!
Start your self-knowledge
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