Have you noticed how social media influences our personality traits? While Instagram fuels the anxious narcissist, new research has found, Facebook appeals to our seductive instincts.
On Instagram, you can get rid of your wrinkles, make your lips are softer, and you become the best version of yourself, just with a couple of taps.
If you attempt a similar tap on X (once Twitter), and write something political that does not go down well or is misinterpreted, your life can suddenly take a shocking nosedive.
Steffen Krüger, a media researcher at the University of Oslo, Norway, wrote about his studies, which link psychoanalysis and digital platforms, in a new book titled Formative Media – Psychoanalysis and Digital Media Platforms.
Krüger uses perspectives from psychoanalysis to explore how digital platforms such as Google, X (Twitter), YouTube, Google, Instagram, and Facebook reveal or highlight different sides of our personality.
Social Media’s Power to Shape Our Lives
Social media platforms shape our lives in various ways. They play on our unconscious minds. The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), was the first to introduce the concept of the unconscious mind in his groundbreaking theory.
Krüger said,
“Freud’s psychoanalysis is not entirely respectable in academia. He talks about the oral stage early in our development where the mouth is the erogenous zone, followed by the anal stage, when we learn to use the bathroom. All this bodily stuff is embarrassing to be confronted with.”
Even so, Krüger used some aspects of psychoanalysis in his research.
Connecting psychoanalysis to modern media
The unconscious is inherently contradictory and rife with internal conflicts, influencing all aspects of our lives. However, it is uncommon to link psychoanalysis with contemporary media and digital platforms in the way Krüger does in his work.
When you post pictures of yourself on Instagram, do you experience a strange mix of self-obsession and anxiety? That is not surprising, because Instagram brings out the anxious narcissist within us who craves validation, according to Krüger’s theory.
Kruger said,
“In recent times, the connection between narcissism – characterized by self-centeredness and self-love – and popular culture has been dismissed. However, I believe it is a significant and accurate explanation for why we take selfies.”
“The more insecure we are, the more we strive to present ourselves perfectly to get attention and to feel loved and seen.”
In 1914, Sigmund Freud wrote an essay that became formative for the understanding of narcissism. He distinguished between a form of narcissism that is normal in human development and narcissistic personality disorder.
Although psychoanalysis has been a well-established academic field in Krüger’s home country, Germany, it has not had the same influence in Norway.
Kruger explained,
“It took a little time before I found my way in Norway and made a breakthrough in the academic field with projects that connect psychoanalysis to media and communication.”
Neurotic on Google, playful on X
While one digital platform brings out a particular side of us, another emphasizes a different aspect of our personality. According to Krüger, each platform reveals a unique trait:
- Twitter/X: Brings out our playful side.
- Facebook: Highlights the seducer within us.
- Instagram: Reflects the anxious narcissist.
- YouTube: Amplifies addictive tendencies.
- Google: Caters to our neurotic need for control.
Each platform is explored in its own chapter in Krüger’s book, starting with Facebook and its connection to Eros.
Dustin Moskovitz a co-founder of Facebook, once said, “Everything on Facebook is flirtatious.”
Moskovitz and the other co-founders Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, and Chris Hughes, designed a social media platform that enables us to present ourselves easily and attractively. It encourages us to connect with other like-minded individuals.
Krüger said,
“Everyone is supposed to show love for one another. And even though this sounds naive and a little bit wrong, this idea that Facebook is built on must be taken seriously.”
“Consider the ‘Like’ function. Regardless of the accuracy of the criticisms it faces, it remains what we fundamentally appreciate and love. This feature connects us through expressions that inherently reflect affection.”
Facebook traps us in a love loop
Is it possible to have too much love? According to Krüger, the answer is yes—at least on Facebook—which is precisely the problem. He links the platform to Freud’s concept of Eros, representing the life drive or libido, which contrasts with the death drive, known as Thanatos.
Freud’s theory states that the love and life drives can only exist alongside the death drive. The problem with Facebook is that it does not allow life or death – it only allows love.
If we are all best buddies, there’s no room to challenge others’ ideas, making it impossible to foster meaningful discussions, Krüger explained.
We find ourselves stuck in a kind of love loop, where there’s little space for subtlety or honest expression.
According to Krüger, this leads to frustration. Even when we feel indifferent about a childhood friend’s mountain trip photos, we force a smile and click ‘like.’ We can’t even choose a ‘thumbs down’ anymore—that option no longer exists.
YouTube Makes Us Crave for More of the Same
Krüger refers to YouTube as a “feeding tube” in his book. The platform, since 2016, has used an algorithm that personalizes recommendations based on your viewing habits.
In effect, it continuously “feeds” you content similar to what you’ve already consumed.
Krüger said,
“I got the idea from another media researcher, Zeynep Tufekci, who described YouTube as a restaurant. As soon as you finish one portion, the next plate arrives.”
“And the fuller you get, the more your appetite and cravings for salt, sugar, and fat are awakened. Clearly, this is not good for you.”
Krüger links this idea to what Freud describes as the oral stage, a phase early in life when infants rely on breast milk for survival. During this stage, the infant not only receives milk for nourishment but also for comfort, even when nourishment is not needed.
When we don’t receive what we truly need, we tend to seek substitutes. For example, we might crave affection and closeness, but instead, we overindulge in sweets.
Similarly, YouTube provides us with an endless supply of easily digestible content—convenient and appealing—but often not what genuinely fulfills us.
YouTube aims to keep us interested and engaged for as long as possible, which makes the system inherently addictive.
On Social Media, Everything Becomes Personal
There are virtually no nuances on social media platforms. Everything becomes personal, no matter what it is.
Krüger explained,
“If you post an article about climate change on Facebook, it will never just be about climate change. It will point to you as a person, making you the main character, a spokesperson for the climate.”
Krüger says that digital platforms shape who we are and how we develop. Their power over our thoughts, behaviors, and interactions is significantly greater than most of us realize.
They need to be regulated to support democratic purposes and fulfill society’s public mission. However, we should not hold our breath – Krüger believes effective regulations are unlikely in the near future.
The author hopes that his book will help us relate to one another in a positive way. Perhaps we will also become more aware of which personality traits the digital platforms bring out and which they may suppress.
Krüger said,
“I hope it will help us confront our blind spots. Humans are inherently contradictory and filled with conflict, and the platforms are particularly adept at finding our weaknesses.”
Source
Krüger, Steffen (2024): Formative Media. Psychoanalysis and Digital Media Platforms. Routledge