- 03.06.2025
Digital Self-Expression and Identity: How Social Media, Games, and Personal Insight Shape Who We Are
Max had always imagined his flair for self-expression would be his golden ticket—an all-access pass stamped with dazzling selfies, surgically-filtered shots of lattes, and captions that could make even a motivational speaker blush. But tonight, as the moonlight cut jagged shadows across the emptiness of his room, that supposed gift pressed down on him like an anchor. His phone glowed in the dark, displaying a meager 37 likes on his latest masterpiece—a gut-wrenching fall of forty-two from yesterday’s count. For a split second, Max toyed with the idea of dialing emergency services, but even then, he knew the only help he’d get would be another soulless push notification—perhaps, “Try reaching out to someone who cares!” If only Siri understood heartbreak.