Social Media is World-Wide. It is used by 59% of the population. According to CNBC, the average person creates their first social media account at around 11 years old. Social Media platforms vary from Snapchat or Instagram to MySpace created in 2003. Because of all these statistics and seemingly harmless applications, the innocent eye would perceive social media as an innocuous tool everyone uses. Still, they would be so far from the truth.

A research study conducted by The American Journal of Epistemology shows, “a connection between the development of mental health in young people and their experiences on social media.” Another study by the Royal Society of Public Health states, “As a result of these online interactions, the suicide rates amongst young people have increased significantly over the past few years.” 

Using social media alone isn’t going to cause mental health issues or suicide, it’s the interactions and rigorous standards put on teens by influencers. Social media is a place of cyberbullying which occurs in many forms, but primarily, hate messages. These harmful comments can easily persuade the mind of a teen into thinking about themselves poorly. Secondly, extreme and nearly impossible standards of life such as beauty, wealth, or relationships are shown to teens which forces them to wish for a different life and disklike their own. 

I believe that the effects of social media on young minds must be observed, as they are detrimental to some people’s lives. I think that kids and teens should have their social media accounts monitored or at least checked every so often to prevent some of these issues.

With all this, I believe a connection between Daoism / Legalism and social media’s effects can be made.

Daoism is an ancient Chinese philosophical and religious tradition that emerged in the 4th to 3rd centuries BCE. It is a philosophical system that emphasizes living in harmony with the natural world and cultivating inner peace and balance. Daoism teaches, to achieve inner peace and live a harmonious life is to align oneself with the Dao, or the ultimate truth and nature of the universe. In Daoist philosophy, the focus is on personal cultivation and self-improvement and achieving inner balance and peace through simplicity, humility, and detachment from materialistic and societal desires. Daoism has had a significant impact on Chinese culture and has influenced other philosophical traditions, both within China and beyond. 

In this sense, the Daoist philosophy states that harm comes from failing to be one with nature or living life in the moment, and succumbing to societal pressures. Similarly, the harm from social media comes from interacting socially or succumbing to societal pressure, rather than moving with the flow of life and connecting with the Dao. Excessive use of social media leads to depression and low self-esteem similar to the effects of not aligning oneself with the Dao. 

Although Daoism and harm caused by social media are very different topics and at first could be seen to have zero connection, how harm is caused in both topics are similar.

As stated above, there are rigorous standards put upon the use of social media by influencers which can be connected to Legalism. 

Legalism is a Chinese philosophy that dominated political thought during the Warring States period (475–221 BCE) and the Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE). It emphasizes the rule of law and the role of the state in maintaining social order and controlling the behavior of individuals through strict laws and penalties. Legalist philosophers such as Han Feizi believed that human nature was inherently selfish and that a strong, centralized government was necessary to maintain stability and order. Legalism was characterized by its focus on efficiency, practicality, and the use of punishment as a means of social control.

These harsh and severe standards can compare to the extreme and severe rules set by a legalist government. Another point of connection between Legalism and Social media is that mental health issues are and were caused by both of them. The strict punishments caused by a legalist government had negative effects on the mental well-being of citizens and, the strict standards of social media cause negative effects on the mental well-being of teenagers today. 

Ultimately, the adverse effects caused by social media are extremely hurtful to society and can be compared to two philosophies derived from ancient China, Daoism, and Legalism. Social media is a dangerous tool and must be watched over with intense precaution as one incident can ruin the lives of yourself or others.