Digital Illusions: The Risks of Virtual Self-Expression

Modern social networks have become a platform for rapid self-expression, where young people seek confirmation of their significance and quick recognition through risky and provocative actions. Entering the virtual space, they use anonymity as an opportunity to create a flawless image that is often far removed from their true essence. This opportunity sparks a desire to live up to ideals that are hard to reach in ordinary life and amplifies the wish to stand out among peers.

Under the influence of external factors imposed by the media environment, individual views begin to merge with public stereotypes, often leading to the formation of nihilistic trends. Teenagers seduced by the allure of idealized online images risk losing touch with real social relationships, replacing genuine interactions with virtual contacts. This transition can negatively affect their emotional well-being and lead to numerous unpleasant consequences.

In conclusion, the search for self-affirmation online is fraught with significant risks: young people, in their pursuit of quick recognition, fall under the influence of both internal ambitions and external pressure. Within this mix of anonymity and idealized images lies the threat of losing genuine human connections, which calls for careful attention and a conscious approach in the digital communication world.

What motives and consequences underlie the risky and provocative behavior of young people in social networks?

The primary motive behind such risky and provocative behavior is the pursuit of self-affirmation and instant recognition, where personal needs and ambitions become the main driver. Young people strive to quickly build their reputation and stand out in the virtual space, where “in real life self-affirmation depends on social factors... whereas young people experience vital needs that dictate their behavior” (source: link ). This need is often fueled by the anonymity of the internet, which allows them to create distorted self-images that can turn into a pathological identification with an ideal that is hard to achieve in reality. This supports the idea that “the most potent provoking factor in this case is the set of properties inherent to the Internet as a means of communication. Anonymity and the inability to verify the provided personal information... stimulate the development of internet addiction among adolescents” (source: link ).

It is also important to note that external influence, imposed from outside, often blends with individual desires, leading to a situation where “many young people find it difficult to distinguish their own desires and views from those imposed externally” (source: link ). Consequently, under such external influence, nihilistic and destructive tendencies may form, eventually manifesting in risky and provocative online actions.

The consequences of this behavior are multifaceted. First, the development of an addiction to social network applications can result in virtual communication replacing real human relationships, adversely affecting the emotional state and psyche of young people. As one statement puts it, “Addiction to social network applications, such as participation in chats, group games, and teleconferences, can ultimately lead to replacing real-life family and friends with virtual ones. The consequences of such dependence can be extremely negative...” (source: link ). Second, the constant reliance on the virtual image of the “ideal self” contributes to a breakdown in the connection with real social structures, substantially diminishing accountability for one’s words and actions (“in real communication with peers, opportunities for identification with the ideal 'self' are restricted by immediate contact...” – source: link ).

Thus, the basis for risky and provocative behavior on social networks lies in the combination of internal aspirations for self-affirmation, the need for quick recognition, and external influence fueled by anonymity and distorted self-representations. This ultimately leads to serious consequences, such as developing an addiction to virtual communication and the erosion of genuine social bonds.

Supporting citation(s):
"
“In real life, self-affirmation depends on social factors: these are the challenges of interaction demanded by society. The next generation must find its place in these future realities in order to adapt. Meanwhile, young people experience vital needs that dictate their behavior both in social networks and in real life. There are indeed many needs, but also many ambitions. Young people crave recognition; they want their reputation to be built as quickly as possible. That is why any revolutionary era places its bet on the youth...” (source: link )

"The strongest provoking factor in this case is the set of properties inherent to the Internet as a means of communication. Anonymity and the actual inability to verify the information provided about oneself, along with the possibility of merging real, desired, and entirely fictitious character traits into a virtual image, stimulate the development of internet addiction among adolescents. In real communication with peers, opportunities for identification with the ideal 'self' are limited by direct contact, which sharply brings to light the discrepancy between real and declared qualities." (source: link )

"Many young people have begun to find it difficult to distinguish their own desires and views from those imposed externally. Significant influences on the hearts and minds of young people also come from processes occurring in the internet sphere..." (source: link )

"Addiction to social network applications, that is, communication in chats, group games, and teleconferences, can eventually lead to replacing the real-life family and friends with virtual ones. The consequences of this dependence can be extremely negative..." (source: link )