[vlan121]

I love how you highlight the dual-use dilemma of technology. You’re absolutely right—it all comes down to how technology is used. Regarding radioactivity: most countries strictly prohibit private individuals from handling radioactive materials. Even though some nations possess nuclear weapons, we haven’t reached a point where everyone has unrestricted access to radioactivity and can harm themselves—unlike social media and its algorithms, which are far less regulated.

Sensationalist methods only address the symptoms, not the root cause. I agree with you here—trying to recapture students’ attention with sensational tactics isn’t a real solution.

Regarding the opium of the people: Karl Marx touched on two key ideas that apply: comfort and relief, alongside illusion and passivity.

When it comes to comfort and relief, likes, comments, and shares on social media create a sense of recognition and belonging. And yes, personalized content acts as an escape from reality—a kind of painkiller that distracts us from real problems. It’s even more troubling because this “drug” is tailored specifically to each individual.

I definitely see the parallels here. However, I’m not convinced that breaking away from this “religion” of social media requires communism, even though Karl Marx was a brilliant thinker. The present shows that, even within existing systems, people can detach themselves from such structures.