In what ways do you feel that the internet has affected the way that some people view their self-worth?

Question

People, it seems, are increasingly gauging their status by the number of hits their YouTube videos receive, the number of "friends" they have on social networking websites, or in the case of Yahoo Answers, how many thumbs up/down they receive, or whether or not one is a Top Contributor.

With the internet replacing our "real lives" as a society more and more daily, do you feel this is a trend that is likely to continue?

Answer 1

Yes.  We seam to  prefer to talk to the machines instead of real people

Also You see more and more people talking on cell phones even in the company of others that are with them.

Answer 2

But see, these things already happened, the internet just gave it a new venue.

I remember being in grade school and jr high us girls had lists of our friends, the best friends on top, and not so good friends on the bottom.  We wrote it in our note books or whatever.  We rated each others outfits and who was the most creative and who got better grades and who had the most friends or boy friends.

It was all their before, just a new venue.

I think the internet actualy helps some people with their self esteem.  People who are shy and find it difficult to talk to new people in person are able to do that online.  People who are self conscious about their looks or whatever else, dont have to be online.  Rejection hurts less online.

Answer 3

I see an awful lot of people (mostly young girls) looking for boosts to their self-esteem in those "Am I pretty--see picture?" questions. Amazing that they care what strangers think of their appearance; I think it will only come with age that they will get past this, if at all, given that we have a society that rewards anorectic appearances with wealth and fame.