Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Marketing Girlies by Muses's avatar

This is such a thoughtful reflection on digital agency, and as a Gen Z reader, I feel the tension between using social media as a tool vs. being used by it. The line “We are not the tools” hits hard—especially when so much of our online presence is commodified.

Social media isn’t just an extension of ourselves anymore; it’s an economy, an expectation, and for many, an identity. The comparison to dynamite or bleach? Spot on. We’re constantly told to “just use it responsibly,” but the systems behind it are designed to make that nearly impossible. The lack of built-in warnings or “proper use” guidelines is intentional.

If I were to add a warning label to the manual, it’d say: "Prolonged exposure may lead to loss of self. Proceed with caution."

Expand full comment
Katharine Strange's avatar

So much wisdom here! Like many people, I've been wrestling with my future social media involvement during a 2nd Trump presidency. I especially like Benjamin's point about wrestling with these questions as a community. So often I have the urge to make everything a bulleted list of rules, but these are never as rich or nuanced as the conversations we have together.

Expand full comment
3 more comments...

No posts