The Social Dilemma on Netflix

The Social Dilemma

The Social Dilemma was released on Netflix on 9th September 2020.

It is a docudrama about the rise of social media and mobile phones and suggests the use of highly addictive techniques that is damaging society.

Mainstream media report:

• "Why The Social Dilemma is the most important documentary of our times" (The Independent)
• "The Social Dilemma: a wake-up call for a world drunk on dopamine?" (The Gardian)

The film stars Skyler Gisondo, Kara Hayward, Vincent Kartheiser.

Addiction to Netflix

The Social Dilemma covers some important points, but it is also hugely ironic.

This film about psychological addictions uses a huge number of psychological addiction techniques!

They talk about people stuck watching small screens, while many people spend a huge amount of their waking life stuck watching big screens.

The question is whether we're already addicted to tv, and social media is just a new version.

So, what are the potential psychological addictions techniques used in The Social Dilemma?

Some of the more obvious are:

1. The creation of Them (bad) and Us (good) viewpoints. This makes the film our friend.
2. The evolving journey. If you watched the last 10 minutes first, you may find their final claims excessive. However, if you watch from the start, they take you on a journey, so the final claims seem fine. It's a common psychological trick, using lots of small changes, to change your way of thinking. The film even mentions this as a trick that social media providers use!
3. The use of sound and music. Very carefully designed to engage your subconscious, while your conscious mind may not be aware. Watch again, listening to the music, to hear what they're doing to you!
4. The use of the family. The film repeatedly cuts to a family, carefully designed to feel familiar. Perhaps you're like one of those family members? Perhaps their family members remind you of someone in your family? This is more of the Them and Us, and metaphors, to really engage your subconscious brain. It's a psychological trick to convince people.
5. They cut from the family to "experts". Stanley Milgram's 1974 book "Obedience to Authority" is an amazing study. We become much more likely to believe things if said by "experts". All part of the psychological tricks. Is the view balanced? Do all experts agree?
6. Waves of emotion. Notice your feelings, each minute, as you watch the show. It's designed to create waves, peaks and troughs. They say this is addictive.

So, are you addicted to social media, mobile phones, Netflix or television?

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