Is Social Media Trading Truth for Likes?

Hello, it’s Gerd.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the digital spaces we inhabit. Have you ever been scrolling through your social media feed and felt a strange sense of emptiness, even when surrounded by a tidal wave of positivity? It’s a feeling I’ve become quite familiar with. It’s the digital equivalent of eating candy floss—it’s sweet, airy, and dissolves into absolutely nothing.

Now, I know what some people might argue. Several provocative ideas are circulating that seem to justify this trend. Some say that these popular opinion leaders are simply giving the public the simple, reassuring messages they desperately need in a complicated world. Others claim that this black-and-white thinking is necessary to mobilise people for important social causes. A third argument is that it’s a good thing people finally feel empowered to call out what they see as wrong, thereby creating a clear moral line in the sand. I’ve heard these points, and on the surface, they almost sound reasonable. But the more I observe, the more I believe this is a dangerous and seductive illusion.

This article was written specifically for you, right here at FreeAstroScience, where we believe in peeling back the layers to see what’s really going on. So, let's journey past the hashtags and heart emojis together.

The High Price of a Feel-Good Feed

So, what exactly is this phenomenon? It’s the endless stream of banal status updates, inflated with cheap hyperbole and designed to please everyone while saying nothing of substance. We see these massive accounts—some with hundreds of thousands of followers—that have an incredible talent for flattening any topic, no matter how complex or tragic. They pour litres of syrup over it, turning deep societal issues into chocolate-box phrases perfect for a share.

After a day marinating in this stuff, you feel like you’re trapped inside a giant motivational greeting card. It’s all good feelings and inspirational quotes that work wonders for engagement… but they don’t mean a damn thing. As someone who spends his days trying to make sense of complex scientific and cultural ideas, I find this trend deeply troubling. It’s not just harmless fluff; it’s the systematic replacement of thought with feeling. The algorithm rewards it, of course. Thousands of likes, an avalanche of hearts, and virtual applause are powerful incentives. But the price we pay is the sacrifice of complexity.

The Moral Disguise: From Crusader to Victim

Here’s where it gets even more insidious. Behind this sugary veneer of moral justice often lies something much darker—resentment, bitterness, and a desire to divide. Certain posts are crafted not to unite or inform, but to spread anger and target entire categories of people. They work by making their followers feel like the righteous “good guys” and everyone else the irredeemable “bad guys.” It’s a powerful drug for the ego.

And what happens when this approach is met with criticism? Not from trolls, mind you, but from thoughtful people pointing out the flaws in their logic. Suddenly, a predictable script unfolds. They immediately play the victim. They claim they are being “targeted by hate,” that they are “misunderstood,” or that they are being “attacked for telling the truth.” It’s a strategy that has become a kind of Pavlovian reflex, a way to shut down any form of dissent without ever having to engage with it intellectually. This isn’t a quest for truth; it’s a performance of victimhood designed to protect a brand.

Beyond the Likes: What We're Actually Losing

This systematic way of telling stories—this relentless simplification—is costing us more than we realise. The world is not a motivational meme. It's not black and white, and it’s certainly not a hashtag to be ridden for a week and then abandoned. By pretending it is, we are actively damaging our collective ability to understand reality, let alone improve it.

When we eliminate nuance, we eliminate the very possibility of finding common ground. How can we solve monumental challenges like climate change, political polarisation, or social inequality if our public discourse is crushed into a childish fairy tale? A story where we are always pure and our opponents are always evil is comforting, but it is a lie. And building a better future on a foundation of lies is, to put it mildly, a terrible idea. I could easily list social media personalities and even some ultra-politicised journalists who fit this description perfectly, but that wouldn’t be very elegant. Besides, I’m quite sure you’re smart enough to know exactly who I’m talking about.

Your Brain Is Not an Algorithm

So, where does this leave you and me? It leaves us with a choice. We can either continue to consume the intellectual candy floss, or we can decide to seek out something more nourishing. It’s not about being cynical for the sake of it; it’s about demanding a bit more honesty from ourselves and from the media we consume.

I want to leave you with a question to ponder. What happens when you consciously choose the difficult question over the easy answer? What shifts inside you when you seek out a perspective that challenges your own, not to argue with it, but to understand it? The most powerful tool you have against misinformation and simplistic narratives is the one sitting right between your ears. Turn it on, and use it—always.

It’s the first, and most important, step towards reclaiming a world of colour, complexity, and truth.

All the best,

Gerd Dani
President, FreeAstroScience, Science and Cultural Group