A technological eon has passed in the four years since "The Social Dilemma" released. Silicon Valley has evolved so much, it'd be irresponsible for the casual observer to fall behind the recently discovered truths about our modern social tools.
As time passes, social scientists and thought leaders are better informed with data, (dis)proven previous hypotheses, and can better predict trajectories. This film puts their clarity and clairvoyance front and center. The narrative is clear: social media (supercharged by AI) has MASSIVE implications for our humanity and the fate of civilization. So, pretty light stuff =)
As Prometheus hands us fire once again, David Connolly masterfully illustrates how humans aren't prepared for the god-like abilities of our technology. The economic incentives aren't aligned, end users are willfully naive, and our regulatory bodies perpetually lag the present moment. It was JUST in 2023 that surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy gave a tobacco-era like warning about the dangers of social media. WTF.
The film is accessible to viewers of all demographics: a brief history of Silicon Valley for the older generations still clicking their phishing emails. It details the physiological need for deep, in-person human connection for those younger audiences whose primary source of connection is "Like."
I personally enjoyed Robert Greene's ("48 Laws of Power") appearance, and this gem: "We get to know that we're alive and that we're human by eye contact. We're not used to handling the disconnected lives that technology brings us."
The assertion that social media actually influences our behavior was alarming for me, a new concept I'm still processing. Most people say "I don't mind they collect my data, I like the personal recommendations" or "I've got nothing to hide" - but misses the point that the recommendations actually steer us into commercialized archetypes that consume more. Those ads aren't to help you, they're to sell you. The Influencer phenomenon has given unprecedented access to fame, that will come with a slew of unknown, unintended consequences. Robert Greene again: "If we allow our destiny to be sold, then we're going to lose that fundamental autonomy that is what it is to be human."
A few other valuable nuggets I learned:
- What "limbic resonance" is.
- Dramatic misinformation gets 6x more clicks than real news on Facebook (triggers fight or flight response, so it's like not looking at a car accident).
- Content is produced by 1% of users on social media (is that even "social"?)
- Even if your phone is off, the microphone is still on.
- You're not allowed to give away your right to freedom of thought.
- Average user spends 5 hours a day on the phone, 2.5 months straight on the phone. "That's normal"
I agree with Roger McNamee (also featured in Social Dilemma) assertion that all technologies have hidden costs, but disagree the cost is "always" greater than the benefit. As awareness grows, I hope we mitigate the risks and extract more of the benefits. Doing so will require some radical changes to the rules and incentives. It starts at the individual level's awareness, so make this a NEED to watch. Oh, what a time to be alive!
