Being in liminality, a process of transitioning across boundaries and borders (Larson, 2014), is like going through a tunnel of uncertainty. At some point, we might find ourselves in an uncertain, uncategorized phase where it feels as if we go through a tunnel to get to the other side of a place or the next phase in our life. It is a point in between, a point of nowhere, where we might have mixed feelings about it. It is a process of a process.
I bring about this discussion as I recalled my trip to New York City the other day. The bus moved through a tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel, to get to the downtown. I could see the modern, big city of New York from the distance before getting to the tunnel. As the bus moved forward, it entered the narrow, dark tunnel with limited lighting. There might be alternative routes, but sometimes we do not get to choose, or sometimes we naively think we know what is best while in practice, it might not always hold. The thing was that I did not know how long the tunnel was, the signal got lost, and there was no scenic view to see along the tunnel i.e. nothing to enjoy in the middle of uncertainty. I come to realize that sometimes, we face this kind of situation in real life – the period of transition from one stage, one place, or one time to the other. We might have limited information, and it can feel congested. It might be uncertain how long it will take to get to the other stage, place, or phase. Nevertheless, we know that there will be lights that welcome us at the end of the tunnel.
If there are takeaways from this thought, it might be that we have to deal with and finish our affairs with the past before we are ready for the new ones. We have to leave the previous place before we get to the new place as we are unable to be in both places at once. The tunnel of liminality might be the bridge connecting the two, the process of a process of change that we are probably unaware that we might need. The next lesson would be to know that it is worth it to keep going on all the way to the bitter end. We cannot stop in the tunnel as it is not the destination, and the tunnel shall be passed anyway. The challenge is to have the consistency to keep going and to hold on to the realization that no matter how long it might take and how stressful it is to be under uncertainty, the tunnel is only a temporary way and a fleeting phase where we will be rewarded with something (hopefully) better after the tunnel.
As a closure, things might move rapidly in our lives, and we need to catch up with what is going on, that is, to be relevant. Being in a tunnel of liminality and getting through it. While keeping our hope alive – as cliche as it can be – it is still an undeniable truth that we need to afford throughout phases in our lives, including the liminality tunnel between those phases. Anyway, I ended up enjoying New York City, and it turned out to be a memorable experience.
References Larson, P. (2014). Liminality. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Boston, MA
Find something worth voluntarily dedicating hours to do and be absorbed with. Find something we are genuinely passionate about, something that even only thinking about has already boosted our motivation and eagerness. Find something we are willing to fight for no matter what. Find something we have the potential to perform well, something that enables us to find the meaning of life and our existence.
Because that something might be the optimal choice among a set of alternatives. Because that something could be the fuel when it feels weary, the warmth when it feels cold, the march when it feels empty. Because that something should be the direction when disorientation appears. Because It is worth it to keep going on with that something all the way to the bitter end.
A succinct summary of a certain period in photos and insightful quotes (according to the author’s opinion)
There are times and spaces when individuals are on liminality. The transition phase, waiting, pondering, and contemplating in the middle of the uncertainty of feelings and situations, creates mixed emotions and certain nostalgia. This phase might better be perceived as the stage of preparation, evaluation, and refreshment. Open the eyes and the heart, and brace the self for the new phase.
Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. – Psalm
It is burdensome to carry baggage in literal and phrase meaning. Sometimes, it is unfeasible to take it all, and thus, some things need to be left behind to carry on new ones.
Adulting is taking care only of what’s relevant.
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. – Ecclesiastes
Better is the end of a matter than its beginning. – Ecclesiastes
I think I have found what I am looking for. Finding something worth voluntarily dedicating hours to do and be absorbed with.
This post serves as a summary and key takeaways from the author’s point of view based on reflections and contemplations over the year 2023. At least, there are three life lessons learned from what the author has been through this year.
First, it is burdensome to carry baggage in literal and figurative meanings. Baggage, in literal meaning, could be burdening and impractical for mobility. Although it is functional to bring our stuff together, we only carry it temporarily. Meanwhile, emotional baggage could be unfinished emotional issues, stressors, pain, and difficultiesbrought from the past, yet the past should not be a concern. It might hold for both literal and phrase meanings that sometimes it is unfeasible to take it all, as some things need to be left behind to carry on new ones. The irrelevant or unused ones should be taken out to spare the space for the relevant and used ones.
Second, no matter how far down we may be, we are never too far down to come back. Indeed, commitment is needed to keep going on and make a comeback. Moreover, being able to commit, being honest and maintaining integrity, while they might pose costs, have value. They will pay off at some point and will be worth it eventually. On the contrary, the enemy of committing is compromising, which could be synonymous with damage. We are damaging our commitment to core values and principles when we compromise our boundaries. It might lead to a toxic relationship in a romantic relationship setting, while it could lead to a corrupt practice in an occupational context.
Third, there might not be such a sacrifice when we truly love someone and do something we are passionate about. We might voluntarily want to do anything and will be there no matter what for the one we love and for the job we are devoted to. We might feel fulfilled and energized by spending time with the person we really love and doing something we are fully willing to dedicate our time to. We will be loyal in loving our loved ones just like we will be persistent in doing our enjoyed jobs. We might always want to provide the best for the one we love as we might want to maximize the result of the job we devote to.
In conclusion, based on what the author has learned this year, the past become less relevant, except for its lessons, such that we might need to leave it behind as we look forward to providing the limited spaces for our priorities and pertinent aspects in our lives. Having integrity and being real in how we feel and what we long for in our lives could lead us to obtain precious rewards. Thank you for the lessons, 2023.
The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is based on the assumptions of complete agreement regarding return distributions and risk-free borrowing and lending, implying that all investors perceive the same investment opportunities and maintain similar portfolios of risky assets, but the allocation of risk-free assets could vary depending on the risk tolerance of each investor. They also combine these portfolios with risk-free borrowing or lending. Consequently, the expected return on assets uncorrelated with the market’s return should be equivalent to the risk-free rate, meaning that an asset’s expected excess return should equal the sum of the risk-free asset return and the product of its market risk (beta) and the market risk premium. The CAPM predicts a linear relationship between a portfolio’s expected return and market beta. Moreover, for the asset market to reach equilibrium, the market portfolio must be the minimum variance portfolio, and therefore, the market portfolio would be mean-variance efficient.
Early empirical studies refute the Sharpe-Lintner version of the Capital Asset Pricing Model, indicating a positive but too-flat relationship between beta and average returns (Black et al., 1972). The risk-free rate surpassed the average risk-free rate, and the coefficient on beta was lower than the average excess market return. Early investigations involving cross-sectional analysis (Fama & MacBeth, 1973) and time series regression tests (Gibbons, 1982) of the CAPM implied that standard market proxies tend to lie along the minimum variance frontier, meaning that the model’s prediction that suggests the premium per unit of beta should be the expected market return minus the risk-free interest rate was consistently rejected. More recent evidence indicated that a substantial portion of the expected return variation is unrelated to market beta. For instance, high debt-equity ratios led to returns that were disproportionately high compared to their market betas (Bhandari, 1988). Meanwhile, stocks with high book-to-market equity ratios exhibited high average returns not fully explained by their betas (Rosenberg et al., 1985). As time progressed beyond the early empirical works on the CAPM, the relationship between average return and beta for common stocks became even flatter (Lakonishok & Shapiro, 1986). On the other hand, factors including size, earnings-price, debt-equity ratios, and book-to-market ratios have been shown to contribute to the explanation of expected stock returns alongside market beta (Fama & French, 1992). Different price ratios, driven by a common factor in prices, offered similar insights into expected returns (Fama & French, 1996).
Several potential reasons could explain the disparity between the predictions of the CAPM and the empirical evidence. Firstly, from a behavioral perspective, when sorting firms based on book-to-market ratios, investors tend to overreact to favorable and adverse situations and extrapolate past performance. This overreaction was evident in stock prices that became overly inflated for growth firms and excessively deflated for distressed firms (DeBondt & Thaler, 1987; Lakonishok et al., 1994). Secondly, the CAPM, as an asset pricing model, is overly simplistic and relies on numerous unrealistic assumptions. For instance, the model assumes that investors only consider the mean and variance of one-period portfolio returns, which is a nontrivial simplification. It fails to account for the various factors influencing investors, resulting in market beta that cannot fully capture an asset’s risk, and it falls short of explaining variations in expected returns. Thirdly, there is no clear theoretical consensus on which assets could be exempt from the market portfolio. On the other side, data availability also often limits the assets that could be included, forcing the use of proxies for the market portfolio, which is argued to invalidate tests of the CAPM.
Overall, the article provides a comprehensive discussion of the CAPM, which might be a convenient theory for an early understanding of portfolio theory and asset pricing. Nevertheless, its empirical challenges might make it unsuitable for practical applications.
References Bhandari, L. C. (1988). Debt/equity ratio and expected common stock returns: Empirical evidence. The journal of finance, 43(2), 507-528.
Black, F., Jensen, M.C., & Myron Scholes. (1972).The Capital Asset Pricing Model: Some Empirical Tests, in Studies in the Theory ofCapital Markets. Michael C. Jensen, ed. New York: Praeger, pp. 79–121.
De Bondt, W. F., & Thaler, R. H. (1987). Further evidence on investor overreaction and stock market seasonality. The Journal of Finance, 42(3), 557-581.
Fama, E. F., & MacBeth, J. D. (1973). Risk, return, and equilibrium: Empirical tests. Journal of Political Economy, 81(3), 607-636.
Fama, E. F., & French, K. R. (1996). Multifactor explanations of asset pricing anomalies. The journal of finance, 51(1), 55-84.
Fama, E. F., & French, K. R. (1992). The cross‐section of expected stock returns. the Journal of Finance, 47(2), 427-465.
Gibbons, M. R. (1982). Multivariate tests of financial models: A new approach. Journal of financial economics, 10(1), 3-27.
Lakonishok, J., & Shapiro, A. C. (1986). Systematic risk, total risk and size as determinants of stock market returns. Journal of Banking & Finance, 10(1), 115-132.
Lakonishok, J., Shleifer, A., & Vishny, R. W. (1994). Contrarian investment, extrapolation, and risk. The journal of finance, 49(5), 1541-1578.
Rosenberg, B., Reid, K. and Lanstein, R. (1985) Persuasive Evidence of Market Inefficiency. Journal of Portfolio Management, 11, 9-17.
Each individual might have a unique journey and experience to reach a certain level of understanding. In research, a question is raised and will be answered through the appropriate methodology to conclude. Analogously, we might have our questions about particular things that will eventually be revealed, but the process to get to the answers might be different. Why do we need to experience the process which is often painful? This post aims to discuss the meaning of real love based on personal judgment, experience, and intuition, and to explore the importance of getting through the process to infer that meaning.
To begin, the initial question raised was, when an individual is in a relationship, how does one know that his partner in the relationship is the real love with whom he will be in a long-term commitment? While much information can answer the question, it is not until one experiences it himself that he can grasp a full comprehension. The process to obtain the answer involves a substantial amount of time, moments, costs, etc. Several points are worth noting after going through some time in a relationship with someone who is seemingly real love.
The first is regarding the meaning of true love. From the perspective of the person in the relationship, there might not be such a sacrifice when we truly love someone. In other words, we would do anything for this person no matter what (of course, positively and constructively). We do not perceive this manner as a cost or burden for us since this person is basically ourselves, our life, our priority, our “the one that we would not want to lose at all costs”. We are willing to act, to give, and are definitely going to do anything, even if there might be obstacles and challenges. Because her happiness is my happiness, and she is my life. I love her as I love myself. In a broader context, this might also be one of the reasons parents will always provide the best for their offspring, as well as when one is passionate about his pursuit in life.
Second, depending on one’s belief, the observable indicator that someone is our real love is when this person could encourage or lead us to do better in our important aspects. For example, for someone who values spirituality, his true love might be someone who can ‘nudge’ him to be a better version of himself and to be closer to what is expected based on his belief instead of being stuck at some point. Moreover, the one who is for us might be someone who can align with our thoughts and fundamental principles. For instance, if one holds the principle of honesty and integrity, he might not want a partner who is not true to herself, talks inconsistently with her actions, or tells lies to her significant others, such as her family. In the end, what we need is companionship. Someone who can help us, let us help her, someone we can share anything and take good advice from, someone we can truly love.
Third, a process in any context and way might be painful, but it is worth the pain. One good fact to be inferred a lesson from is the process of an eagle. While an eagle might live up to 70 years, it has to get through a painful process after the first 40 years of its lifetime. In its 40th year, an eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change that lasts for a certain period (5 to 6 months). The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountaintop and sit alone in its nest, knocking its beak against a rock until it plucks it out. Then, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back before it plucks out its talons. Once its new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old, aged feathers. After 5 to 6 months, the eagle takes its flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years. It has to undergo a painful and durable process to survive and rebirth, but the process is worth the longevity.
Fourth, it might be hard to see and think objectively during a struggling process, and thus, we might need to hold on. To do so, we need something for our cornerstones, which are our commitment to fundamental values and principles. During a relationship that might not be the one for us or after a break up from a relationship, it may be difficult for oneself to take a clear sight since we have a short and finite horizon. There might be temptations to compromise, damaging the commitment to our values. Nevertheless, it would be pointless to trade off our fundamentals with lust during our ignorance. While there are things we could and might need to compromise, our values are none of them. We can observe a person not from his words, but his actions and decisions. Holding on to core values might be a guide leading us to comprehend and accept the process at some point. We need to embrace the process that can be painful because it would make us deeply comprehend a meaning, and recognize and truly appreciate the reward we obtain resulting from the process. In a relationship context, one can understand himself, the true objective of a relationship, and find his real love.
To conclude, there might be phases in understanding the meaning of love and a relationship and the comprehension could still develop over time. The process is represented in the journey that points toward worthy things ahead. So, let our hearts hold fast because this too shall pass.
Do you think I have forgotten about you? I was about to tell you I had not spent a day without thinking about you. But just now, I changed me mind. I came to realize what I want and need. Do you think I tell people things? So just one drink, tell me how happy you are there, and then you may go. And now, bring it on. Bring me that horizon.
In their article, Allcott and Gentzkow (2017) present a theoretical and empirical framework for examining the economics of fake news, focusing on its role in the context of social media during the 2016 United States of America (US) presidential election. It discusses fake news and voting behavior in the presidential election by investigating various aspects of fake news during the election period, including who generates and believes in fake news, the economic model of fake news, and the factors influencing individuals’ capacity to differentiate between authentic and fabricated news.
Additionally, the study examines the polarization of beliefs concerning fake news and identifies the factors associated with ideologically aligned interpretations. It develops research questions aligned with its objectives, including who generates and believes in fake news, how is fake news distinct from biased or tilted media, how to comprehend the economic model of fake news, how much fake news the typical voter sees in the run-up to the 2016 election, and what individual characteristics predict correct beliefs regarding headlines.
Theoretically, social media platforms may be especially conducive to fake news for several reasons (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). Firstly, there is almost no entry cost to access social media. The fixed costs of entering the social media market and creating content are extremely small, implying an increase in the relative profitability of the small-scale, short-term strategies fake news producers often employ and a decline in the relative significance of establishing a long-term reputation for quality. Secondly, the display format of social media can make it difficult to verdict the accuracy of an article.
The study employs a combination of research methods, encompassing primary data using survey research and secondary data from various related website scraping, presented in terms of descriptive statistics and linear regression to address research questions. The analysis scope focuses on fake news articles with political implications for the 2016 US presidential elections. The primary data from an online survey conducted post-election through the SurveyMonkey platform is employed to gather information about individuals’ exposure to fake news, their political beliefs, as well as their demographic characteristics, political affiliations, consumption of election-related news, and their recollection and belief in news headlines.
The online sample is reweighted to ensure it aligns with the characteristics of the nationwide adult population. The secondary data of fake news stories are collected from relevant websites, including Snopes, PolitiFact, and BuzzSumo, to build a database of fake news articles. The findings of the analysis are presented using descriptive statistics and a narrative explanation. Additionally, linear regression analysis examines the inference about true versus false news headlines and the associated determinants.
The main findings of the study suggest that while social media referrals play a minor role in driving traffic to mainstream news websites, it has a significantly larger role for fake news websites, and indicate that trust in information obtained through social media is lower when compared to trust in traditional news sources. Additionally, the research confirms that fake news was extensively disseminated and predominantly favored Donald Trump. Furthermore, the typical US adult likely encountered one or more news stories in the months leading up to the election, with a notable emphasis on pro-Trump articles. The study also underscores the positive relationships between education, age, total media consumption, and the accuracy of beliefs regarding the veracity of headlines. Moreover, individuals were more inclined to share fake news if it confirmed their pre-existing beliefs and if they were actively engaged in politics.
While the article provides rigorous analysis and the acknowledgment of its limitations that can be valuable in developing future research on the same subject, it could be advantageous to explicitly incorporate the concept of confirmation bias in decision-making heuristics and biases within the analysis to make it more comprehensive. Confirmation bias represents the inherent tendency to notice, concentrate on, and attribute greater credibility to evidence that aligns with individuals’ pre-existing beliefs.
The propensity of individuals to seek out information that confirms their convictions while disregarding contradictory information is indirectly corroborated by the article’s finding that those with segregated social networks are notably more inclined to trust ideologically aligned articles. This implies that they are less likely to encounter information from their social peer that challenges their existing views. Overall, the article could be a good reminder to carefully filter every information received particularly through social media.
Reference Allcott, H., & Gentzkow, M. (2017). Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of economic perspectives, 31(2), 211-236.
An anomaly in economics occurs when an empirical outcome is challenging to justify, or when it requires unrealistic assumptions for its explanation using the underlying theories. In simpler terms, it pertains to a real-life scenario that contradicts or departs from the conventional theory.
The anomalies discussed by Kahneman et al. (1991) are the endowment effect and status quo bias, which demonstrate a lopsided value in which the pain of losing something (disutility) is stronger than the joy of gaining the equivalent item (utility), known as loss aversion. In general, these anomalies of the endowment effect and status quo bias demonstrating the loss aversion pose a challenge when trying to account for them within the framework of the rational choice model that assumes agents possess stable, clearly defined preferences and consistently make rational choices of maximizing utility in markets that eventually achieve equilibrium.
In particular, the core consequence of the endowment effect anomaly is an amplified reluctance to part with one’s owned items, underscoring that discomfort associated with perceived losses is more pronounced than the regret of missing out on potential gains. Therefore, viewpoints of fairness are significantly influenced by whether the situation is framed as a gain deduction or an actual loss, indicating that individuals do not consistently maintain stable and well-defined preferences.
Moreover, a status quo bias emerges when individuals are pronouncedly inclined to stick with the existing state (status quo), primarily because the drawbacks of departing from it seem more substantial. When an alternative is designated as the new status quo, it tends to gain considerable acclamation, and the perceived disadvantages of making a change appear to outweigh the benefits. Such instances contrast the traditional assumption of maintaining a consistent preference order since the preference order is contingent on the current reference point.
Additionally, loss aversion suggests that individuals react more strongly to the aspect in which they perceive losses concerning their reference point. While the conventional theory of rational choice assumes that utility primarily stems from the level of wealth rather than changes relative to a reference point, it is essential to recognize that utility is contingent on changes, not absolute levels of wealth. Consequently, a specific difference between two choices will exert a more significant influence when it is perceived as a distinction between two disadvantages relative to the reference point rather than two advantages.
The Prospect Theory’s three cognitive principles offer potential explanations for various anomalies, including the evaluation based on a neutral reference point, diminishing sensitivity, and loss aversion. Firstly, assessments are made relative to a reference point that typically aligns with the status quo but can represent one’s expected outcome or perceived entitlement. Gains are situations where outcomes exceed the reference point, while losses occur when they fall below it. Secondly, the principle of diminishing sensitivity can be applied to the evaluation of changes in wealth, clarifying that distinctions become increasingly challenging to discern as individuals move farther from their reference point. For example, the subjective distinction between $1,000 and $1,100 is much smaller than that between $200 and $300.
Lastly, the loss aversion principle can explain the different risk aversion attitudes towards gains and losses, suggesting that the response to losses is more salient than the response to corresponding gains. Hence, when directly compared or weighted against each other, the extent of utility loss associated with losses surpasses the utility increase associated with gains. The last two principles can result in risk aversion for gains and risk seeking for losses. Overall, at least two aspects of the article can be appreciated: the use of colloquial examples and relevant literature to explain anomalies and the contribution to economic rational choice theory by filling gaps in the literature stemming from unrealistic or impractical assumptions.
References Kahneman, D., Knetsch, J. L., & Thaler, R. H. (1991). Anomalies: The endowment effect, loss aversion, and status quo bias. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 5(1), 193-206.
Many theories, inventions, innovations, and technologies arise from human curiosity and the search for information and truth. However, while curiosity is part of human natural characteristics that might lead to information gathering, it might bring drawbacks if the collected information is not filtered. Information overload and the negative impact of social media are essential subtopics on issues regarding information in the digital era. While it is better to know more about something relevant to an individual’s life and goals, the less one knows about things unrelated to personal matters might reduce unnecessary drama or negative emotions, which in turn might result in better peace of mind.
The information overload phenomenon has been known by many different names, including information overabundance, infobesity, infoglut, data smog, information pollution, information fatigue, social media fatigue, social media overload, information anxiety, library anxiety, infostress, infoxication, reading overload, communication overload, cognitive overload, information violence, and information assault (Bawden & Robinson, 2020). There is no single generally accepted definition, but it can best be understood as that situation that arises when there is so much relevant and potentially useful information available that it becomes a hindrance rather than a help. Its essential nature has not changed with changing technology, though its causes and proposed solutions have changed much.
Specifically, technological advancement has brought about information that is easily accessible, resulting in information overabundance that could lead to a paradox. Orman (2016) discussed this topic and suggested that the paradox lies in such a way that people know more, whereas they understand less. The paradox is due to at least three main factors. Firstly, the “substitution problem” emerges from prioritizing quantity over quality, sometimes compromising information quality. Secondly, information serves as an agent of change, making it non-neutral concerning the physical world. However, using the information to exploit new opportunities leads to the obsolescence of existing information and subsequent information loss. Thirdly, information’s competitive use to deceive others diminishes their knowledge, underscoring its potential to manipulate and control their behavior.
Therefore, effective strategies to evade information overload, including the negative impact of social media, encompass filtering, withdrawal, queuing, and adopting a ‘satisficing’ approach (Bawden & Robinson, 2020). Enhanced design of information systems, adept management of personal information, and the cultivation of digital and media literacies also contribute to mitigation. A potential solution to information overload might be pursuing a mindful equilibrium while assimilating information and striving for comprehension.
Moreover, one channel through which individuals can access information is social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. However, these platforms can yield negative consequences due to the lack of user discretion. Users could control the accounts they choose to follow or connect with, thus receiving updates from those selected accounts. Consequently, online communities create a platform for discussions encompassing health issues, challenges in daily life, and adverse events. This could lead to stigmatization reduction, a heightened sense of belonging, and increased perceived emotional support (Hong & Kim, 2020). Social media also offers possibilities to bolster users’ mental well-being by facilitating social connections and peer support (Naslund et al., 2020). Moreover, during the COVID-19 pandemic, friendships, positive social interactions, and humor shared on social media were found to alleviate stress (Marciano et al., 2022).
Social media (TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook) are cancer – there is a lot of useful content, but junk contents are much plenty, and it could be hypothetically correlated with mental health.
G. Wirjawan (2023)
Conversely, various studies have highlighted the potential adverse impacts of utilizing social media on mental well-being. Some problems related to social media include dissatisfaction with one’s body image (Harriger et al., 2023), an increase in the likelihood of addiction and involvement in cyberbullying (Naslund et al., 2020), and a negative influence on mood (Valkenburg, 2022). Furthermore, overindulgence in social media could be attributed to intensified feelings of loneliness, the fear of missing out, and diminished subjective well-being and life satisfaction (Valkenburg, 2022). Users prone to becoming addicted to social media often report experiencing symptoms of depression and reduced self-esteem (Bányai et al., 2017).
Braghieri et al. (2022) utilized the gradual introduction of Facebook in various US colleges to measure the effect of social media on mental well-being. Their findings indicated that the introduction of Facebook to a college setting had an adverse influence on students’ mental health. The primary mechanism behind this effect is through the emergence of unfavorable social comparisons. Overall, the outcomes imply that social media might contribute, at least partially, to the recent decline in mental health among adolescents and young adults. Additionally, a systematic review has identified a connection between social media envy and exaggerated levels of anxiety and depression among individuals (Karim et al., 2020).
So, the less we know, the better? The answer might depend on the relevance of the information and how one filters, processes, and uses the information. As for social media usage, if there is one thing that could be inferred is that it might be better to use it mindfully, considerately select which accounts to follow, stop intervening in others’ lives, and start managing one’s matters by utilizing substantial, credible, and pertinent information. All information is valuable, but not every information is relevant.
References Bányai, F., Zsila, Á., Király, O., Maraz, A., Elekes, Z., Griffiths, M. D., & Demetrovics, Z. (2017). Problematic social media use: Results from a large-scale nationally representative adolescent sample. PloS one, 12(1), e0169839.
Bawden, D., and Robinson, L. (2020). Information Overload: An Overview. In: Oxford Encyclopedia of Political Decision Making. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Braghieri, L., Levy, R. E., & Makarin, A. (2022). Social media and mental health. American Economic Review, 112(11), 3660-3693.
Harriger, J. A., Thompson, J. K., & Tiggemann, M. (2023). TikTok, TikTok, the time is now: Future directions in social media and body image. Body Image, 44, 222-226.
Hong, H., & Kim, H. J. (2020). Antecedents and consequences of information overload in the COVID-19 pandemic. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(24), 9305.
Karim, F., Oyewande, A. A., Abdalla, L. F., Chaudhry Ehsanullah, R., & Khan, S. (2020). Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 12(6), e8627.
Marciano, L., Ostroumova, M., Schulz, P. J., & Camerini, A. L. (2022). Digital media use and adolescents’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in public health, 9, 793868.
Naslund, J. A., Bondre, A., Torous, J., & Aschbrenner, K. A. (2020). Social media and mental health: benefits, risks, and opportunities for research and practice. Journal of technology in behavioral science, 5, 245-257.
Orman, L. V. (2016). Information Overload Paradox: Drowning in Information, Starving for Knowledge. Seattle, WA: Create Space Independent Publishing. Valkenburg, P. M. (2022). Social media use and well-being: What we know and what we need to know. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101294.
hope. 