Gyges Ring or Social Media

Social structures in the biological world have two opposing driving forces for success. Both aid survival of the individual; one through the compliance with the community’s rules, the other, the going against the community’s rules. In the human world, the community’s rules are laid down in religion, in ethics and in law. The individual’s hidden roles which serve the self only are unwritten, but naturally occurring when opportunity arises. Examples would be being a good citizen, having a good education, being helpful in the community, and being an upright, honest, non-criminal citizen. Examples in the individualistic realm would be ruthlessness, seeking of power by any means, criminal activities, immoral activities and historically speaking, blasphemy, and evil acts.

Society aids the survival of all its members. However, each member retains a propensity to be ruthless, cruel, and unjust if he or she can get a huge return on success for it.

In social media the anonymity brings out our vile side. Most humans are not vile; but everyone has a propensity to be so. It is built into our psyche, as it is a psychological trait that can aid survival.

The phenomenon that was described by Plato in his “Republic”. When we become invisible, or undetectable, we are tempted to commit crimes, even horrible ones. Social media gives the people a chance to voice their opinions without detection of who they are in reality. So their behaviour in writing becomes viciously hurtful and violently cruel. Antisocial, unethical, and evil.

Most humans are not about vicious hurtfulness. They are just as capable and motivated to be nice and supportive with each other. They switch sides easily, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide, according to what serves them better at the moment: the opportunity to act cruel, or the compliance to be cooperative.