D. R. answered • 08/27/22
Doctorate in Educational Psychology Tutor with experience & education
The obvious answer for younger people is the importance that they attribute to social media, having a huge following and obtaining many "likes and comments". This can be a measure of self-worth as well develop into an obsession. Online this leads to comparisons among peers that are largely unrealistic, and this can lead to depression, or to falsifying posts in an effort to appear exciting and popular. This is unsatisfying as younger people may feel inauthentic. There is also a significant bullying aspect to online interactions.
Among older individuals, there may still be these types of responses, especially if "real-life" relationships are missing or unsatisfactory but largely older individuals have developed more independence and have had the opportunity to find satisfaction in who they are as an individual rather than needing to feel validated by online persona.
