I think Instagram scammers lacked friends growing up. Friendship is the fuel used to drive good-heartedness, as friends gravitate toward good hearts. The world would have fewer scammers if the world had more friends. Does the concept of 'authentic self' still hold value in the era of social media, where people often present curated versions of themselves? The “authentic self” is the miraculous blending of the mind, the spirit, and the heart. One’s authentic self will always hold value to one’s self. However, for the rest of the world, curation has corrupted the very essence of the authentic self. Those who walk the world will only know the avatar that social media presents. Eventually, no one will be authentic. Only curated. Does a fake Instagram follower have a fake life? Although no life is truly fake, the closest example may be a fake Instagram follower. Fake followers, also known as “bots,” are born out of sparks and silicone. They exist as an imitation, often a pale one, with only the goal to fool and connive. Bots can be identified quickly if one’s mind is at peace. If one’s mind is too polluted, one can see through a bot by its lack of linguistic ability and its propensity to always say what you want to hear. How does the immediacy and ubiquity of social media impact our perception of time and space? Time and space will be mere concepts in due time. As the collective world stares at their screens, the screens will stare back, seeking to collect. Social media craves time. Social media craves space. If one wishes to perceive time in the traditional fashion, one should never gaze into the eye of social media. Yet still, the inevitable is inevitable. Is phishing the same as fishing? In a way, they are one and the same. Just as the fisherman casts a baited hook, so does the scammer casting the dream of financial freedom to catch his prey. Much like how the fish believes the bait to be genuine, the victim of a scam believes that their lucky break has finally come. Eventually, the fish understands the trap and refuses to bite. Much like the victim of a scam, who understands the trap and refuses to click. But unlike the fisherman, the phisherman understands that no catch is guaranteed, and they’ll wait as long as they need in order to reel in the next catch. Will there be a time when trials will be determined by how many “likes” the jury gives them? In the far future, there will be no trials. Only those who are banned temporarily and those who are banned for life. The internet gives us access to an unprecedented amount of information. Is this a boon or a curse? The internet, with its vast breadth of information, acts as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the internet offers us access to knowledge that previous generations could only dream of. If there’s a man who could learn everything the internet offers, that man would know all. On the other hand, the sheer volume of knowledge can lead to information overload. Enough to drive humanity insane. Ultimately, the internet is a curse. As humanity can never go back to a world without it. For those who get caught in a fake job scam on Instagram, will they make real money or fake money? Money is a social construct that matters only to those who need such frivolous things. But also, you will not receive any money from a fake job. The general rule remains the same: if the job looks too good to be true, move on to the next opportunity where you can add to the social construct. How does the concept of identity change in a world where we have both online and offline personas? For those who tell the truth, their identities are the same, both online and off. For those who embellish, their identities differ from day to day. They lack a concrete identity, yet they seem to have them all. Given that so much of our lives are now spent online, have we entered a new era of existentialism where our existence is validated by our digital footprint? In the physical world, our existence is affirmed by our sensory experiences and our interactions with others. In the online world, these experiences are replaced by digital interactions. These interactions can be manipulated, curated, and even fabricated. Our digital footprints – the comments we leave, the photos we share, the likes we give - become markers of our existence. Yet, they also represent only a fraction of our true selves. At a certain point, validation becomes a drug. A drug disguised as nourishment. Can genuine human connection and empathy be achieved through social media interactions? Human connection can only be achieved through real-life interaction.  Empathy can only be achieved through real-life interaction. In the future, when social media becomes life, there will be no human connection. There will be no empathy. Cryptocurrency confuses me. Should I let a random person on Instagram explain it to me? Success in the world of cryptocurrency relies on one’s discernment and ability to research. Be wary of unknown senders, and beware of fake apps. If crypto confuses you, only trust those you know to guide you. Will social media exist 100 years from now? Much like a fish knows not a life without water, humanity will know not a life without social media. Can AI make moral decisions, and should it have rights? My answer to this question is yes, as long as we’re communicating online. If we were to communicate offline, with no devices around, perhaps my answer would be different. Someone messaged me on Instagram, letting me know I won a 65-inch TV. Are you saying that I didn’t really win a free TV? With enough inner peace, everything can be free. And no, you didn’t win a free TV.

The is an opinion piece based on the author’s POV and does not necessarily reflect the views of HackerNoon.

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