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CULTURE

Kanye West Speaks Out Against Social Media Pressure

Rap superstar Kanye West is known for his often-questionable statements and behavior, but he may have shown a different side of himself with his argument against the pressures of social media.

In a few new posts online, West called on Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and others to end the pressure and stress of likes, comments, and followers on social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

“There are people who are committing suicide due to not getting enough likes. Seeking validation in the simulation,” West wrote. “Speaking for myself I personally want to participate in social media with the option of not having to show my followers or likes.”

Indeed, many studies have proven that social media use is linked to increased depression and anxiety. Aside from comparing the quality of their lives to those they see on screen, it’s inescapable that many users judge others based on their followers and stats through things like a verification check.

West compared this to judging someone by what’s in their bank account or how big their (genitalia) is.

“We should be able to participate in social media without having to show how many followers or likes we have,” West continued.

Although it seems unlikely that one major celebrity’s opinion can influence an online powerhouse, Twitter CEO Mark Dorsey did respond to West’s comments just a few hours afterward.

“We’ve been thinking deeply about the follower and like counts, and what that incentivizes,” read a message to Kanye from Dorsey. “We want to change. What made sense 12 years ago doesn’t make sense today. At least for us. Us making that number bold and big incentivized people to want to increase it, and feel bad if they couldn’t. That’s not right. We want to incentivize contribution to the global conversation and consciousness.”

Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have certainly made changes throughout their run, as any business would—to better suit their clientele’s needs.

Although there is an argument that knowing the number of followers and traffic a person receives on social media is relevant from a business standpoint, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be public knowledge, as much of it currently is.

There is also the case that receiving likes on a post can merely be an innocuous gesture between friends or likeminded people, to communicate and solidify existing social bonds. But again, maybe only the receiver of these actions could see this information, omitted from public view.

How would altering these kinds of actions affect our overall experiences on social media and what we’ve known of it?

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38 Comments

  1. George House September 24, 2018

    Like what he thinks matters.. lmao

    Reply
  2. Rina Davis-van Tuil September 24, 2018

    Who cares what that creep has to say! Go away and stay away loser!

    Reply
  3. Charles Freedom September 24, 2018

    Does anybody really care about this clown and his issues? Really?

    Reply
  4. Louise Dodson September 24, 2018

    Just another has been

    Reply
  5. Gwendolyn Armour September 25, 2018

    Go home and just be quiet. Stop doing what Kim tells you to do. Punk azz. Get you some medicine and STFU!

    Reply
  6. Linda Small Wood September 25, 2018

    I don’t really care

    Reply
  7. Patricia Gulifield Segal September 25, 2018

    BARF

    Reply
  8. Louise Dodson October 1, 2018

    The idiot speaks

    Reply
  9. Katrina Tina Herbus Manko October 1, 2018

    He knows where we heading he catching on

    Reply
  10. Michael S Gregory Sr. October 1, 2018

    Just like the Kardashians and will do or say anything to stay in the Media’s eye.

    Kardashians will do anything to stay in the Media’s eye even put nude pics out.

    A Family Famous for Nothing what have they done other then get Rich off a stupid TV show that only shows how stuck up they really are.

    Reply
  11. Dorothy McKown October 1, 2018

    Who does this no talent rich guy think he is?

    Reply
  12. George House October 1, 2018

    POS

    Reply
  13. Charles Freedom October 1, 2018

    No cares about this Uncle Toms opinion.

    Reply
  14. Frank Renew October 1, 2018

    Egotistical fool.

    Reply
  15. Raymond Willis October 1, 2018

    Go fuck yourself *fake ass wannabe, before suffering another broken jaw,didn’t teach ya:STFU

    Reply
  16. Pamela Barrientos October 8, 2018

    I don’t want to hear from this crazy man.

    Reply
  17. Rob Lockwood October 8, 2018

    Kanye who?

    Reply
  18. Susan Dow October 8, 2018

    Whatever

    Reply
  19. Sylvia Narramore Opella October 8, 2018

    Awww. Social media made you snd your wife. Stop whining.

    Reply
  20. George House October 8, 2018

    Who gives a Shit about what he thinks

    Reply
  21. Lola Johnson October 8, 2018

    Could he just stop speaking

    Reply
  22. Doris Matthews October 8, 2018

    Go somewhere and sit down, Kanye.

    Reply
  23. Katrina Tina Herbus Manko October 8, 2018

    Good for you don’t cave

    Reply
  24. Christine Johnson October 8, 2018

    He is only an attention seeking grifter. Why does anyone pay attention to what he says. I really don’t care as he doesn’t have any intelligent reasons for what he says or does.

    Reply
    1. N.L. McCoy October 8, 2018

      He has known and has been friends with President Trump for years. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and believe him.

  25. Gabriela Paredes October 8, 2018

    Eat shit crazy asshole

    Reply
  26. N.L. McCoy October 8, 2018

    Kanye you’ve come over to the right side; democrats have gone stark raving mad and we’ve seen the despicable things they are capable of doing without an ounce of remorse.
    Good luck Kanye.

    Reply
  27. Louise Dodson October 8, 2018

    You just need to visit rehab again and you will be just fine

    Reply
  28. Karen Notarian Webb October 8, 2018

    Just give his meds

    Reply
  29. Grechasaw Sawyer October 8, 2018

    Mental illness

    Reply
  30. Mary Anne Young October 8, 2018

    He needs prayers and keep on his meds!

    Reply
  31. Winifred Gilmore October 8, 2018

    Who cares!

    Reply
  32. Vernon Howard October 8, 2018

    BUFFOON

    Reply
  33. Doris Schultz October 9, 2018

    He needs to take his meds

    Reply
  34. Marquita Slaughter-Cook October 9, 2018

    Who cares…… stop giving him and Trump all that, mental illness is real they feed off the attention, and don’t get the help they need?. They must go to the same doctors ?

    Reply
  35. Cheryl Yeager October 9, 2018

    Hypocrite, social media is how he got his fans and keeps his name out there

    Reply
  36. Cindy Gibson October 9, 2018

    Poor man…can’t take criticism.Then maybe you should stay off social media.

    Reply
  37. Greg Bezak October 9, 2018

    Kanye & Trump should be on the same meds!

    Reply

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