Imagine strolling into the vivacious ambiance of Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus, where young minds converge not just in search of knowledge, but to delve into the intricate tapestry of the digital domain – welcome to “Clicks & Consequences.” This isn’t your run-of-the-mill forum; it’s a hub where the curious and the scholarly unpack the Pandora’s box that is social media overload.
It’s a digital tightrope walk for today’s youth, learning the ropes of social media navigation, all while dodging the pitfalls of unfiltered consumption. Social media, a tool that can build bridges as easily as it can walls, becomes a double-edged sword when it pierces the protective veil of our psychological defenses, as vividly illustrated at the seminar.
Ever wonder why your screen time rivals your wake time? The forum shone a spotlight on this phenomenon, particularly among the pulsing hearts of our ‘Generation Alpha’ and our zestful ‘Gen Z’. Studies from the corridors of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication peered into the lives of undergraduates, finding a symbiotic, albeit risky, relationship with their smart device counterparts.
The seminar spun a narrative that read like a psychological thriller, with social media playing the protagonist and antagonist. The drama of emotional highs and lows on this networked stage could leave imprints far beyond your last status update. Here, we met souls who, especially during the isolated echoes of the pandemic, found themselves in a whirlwind of screen addiction, materialism’s siren call, and the shadow dance of cyberbullying and Fomo – the gnawing ‘fear of missing out’ that might just lead to the next impulsive vape purchase or the relentless chase of the latest iPhone hues.
But heroically, within this digital quagmire, we find beacons of balance. Generation Z, through vox pop vignettes, shared their adventures in juggling the kaleidoscope of social media with the tangible world, crafting a narrative that’s equal parts cautionary tale and guidebook for digital equilibrium.
Social media, the seminar suggested, isn’t the villain of our story – it’s the overindulgence. In a world awash with filtered facades, Natchanon Chantawaralak and Nicha Onpattanasin, young visionaries from Thammasat University, remind us to browse with discernment and use our digital platforms to uplift, not just to impress.
Amidst this chorus of voices, we heard from Michaela Olivia Baker (miQuella), a T-Pop starlet from MXFRUIT, who shared her symphony of struggles and epiphanies as an artist in the relentless social media spotlight. She champions the art of selective engagement and mindful content digestion, manifesting an online reprieve that shields her inner peace.
And what of the rewards hidden in the labyrinth of likes and shares? Suwawut Wongsetangsawas offers a sage’s perspective: the real treasure lies not in vanity metrics, but in the richness of knowledge one garners from observing and the joy of crafting meaningful content.
Also joining this digital mosaic was Wanwisa Limsumangkalakul, a ‘mum influencer’ who turned the lens toward the family dynamic in this age of hashtags and trends, preaching a doctrine of informed parenting, digital exposure limits, and curated content that resonates with the heartbeat of everyday life.
Thomtong Tongnok, the custodian of journalistic education at the university, speaks to the very DNA of the digital natives, advocating for an evolution in learning and understanding media – one that doesn’t just come from books, but from a rich stew of interactive conversations and real-world applications.
Finally, we observe a refreshing counter-culture in the ‘deinfluencers’ movement; an insurrection against consumerism, perhaps? With candor and simplicity, they cut through the digital noise, championing the kind of media literacy that’s not just learned, but lived and shared. Ms. Thomtong envisions this as a battle best fought with government finesse, to truly cultivate a safe haven for dialogue across the vast, virtual horizons of our digital lives.
This symposium was not just about the perils and promises of our online existence – it was a celebration of the resilient spirit of youth, steering through the ebbs and flows of social media tides with eyes wide open and minds fiercely ablaze.
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