Social Media Platforms As Relationship Archetypes

Meta is a gaslighting narcissist.

Photo by Prateek Katyal on Pexels

Yesterday I took my first Xanax of this administration. I assume it will be the first of many. Thanks to my new Fitbit, I can see what my heart rate is at a glance. Yesterday it was high.

In general, I’m anxious because of *gestures around to everything.* Specifically, what had my heart racing yesterday was — amid the bombardment of Executive Orders and onslaught of harmful, destructive changes this week — news of halted communications and paused funding for crucial health agencies and scientific research. And how this will affect the safety, well-being, and lives of well… everyone who can’t afford to decamp to Mars.

The other thing that was making me anxious, and, I’ll be honest, enraged, was the manipulation and gaslighting that certain social media companies are engaging in. I’m not going to get into the whole list of infractions, and I am likely only even seeing the tip of the iceberg anyway. But when the new POTUS’s story showed up at the top of my Instagram page the other day, I realized that Instagram decided to add the new POTUS, FLOTUS, and VP to the list of accounts I’m following — not me.

Last Saturday night, I was lying in bed scrolling on TikTok in the minutes before it went down, watching video after video of people sobbing and saying their tearful goodbyes — many of whom make a living on that platform and were watching their entire income power off.

TikTok came back online the following morning, about 12 hours later. And, while I was happy to see the app working again, I thought, It’s not nice to play with people’s emotions like this. It reminded me of something, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it…

Oh yeah: It’s every guy I’ve ever dated!!!

The social media landscape feels so toxic and dysfunctional now. Maybe it always has been and it’s just heightened in the dystopian world we’re currently living in. Read on for how popular social media platforms are like dysfunctional relationships, why I’m disgusted with Meta, and what’s keeping me sane these days.