How Beauty and Mob Mentality for Teen Girls on Social Media Are Found on YouTube Videos

How Beauty and Mob Mentality for Teen Girls on 

Social Media Are Found on YouTube Videos

I don’t know where we’re going, but from the look of this crowd, it’s got to be good.

My concern for teen girls and advocacy against social media angst and exploitation has focused on psychologists’ reports in general terms; the more recent, the better. However, when you start digging deeper into this landscape, you discover an atmosphere of reality shows filled with competitiveness, big personalities, and passionate followers where the narrative and attention is based on the melodramatic or highly emotional to get more clicks, views, brand deals and profits. 

The use of the term "mob mentality" raised immediate red flags. Why are young people participating to what end even as a serious mindset into a democratic world view versus autocratic control?

The beauty community thrives on YouTube as a sisterhood where socially connected brands matter as much as beauty products where teen girls can spend about $400 per year, with skin care being the most popular...imagine the hype to care for young, fresh skin.

YouTube videos provide a sweet spot to learn about makeup applications in real time. Teen girls become fiercely loyal to their favorite top influencers and their preferred brands as they talk to them face to face on the camera, up close and personal, telling them how to be beautiful with cosmetics.

Such direct communication is now called having “parasocial relationships.”

"This tendency to become emotionally attached to influencers occurs from frequent viewing and the brain's natural instincts to interpret virtual as social, such as making eye contact, smiling, and personal disclosure — as it would in person. This is not a pathology, but a normal response."  Pamela Rutledge, media psychologist.

YouTubers need to be aggressively competitive to be profitable and creditable. One wrong word or slur from any other person can result in a “cancel culture” for the group where the media guru can lose hundreds of thousands of subscribers in one week. More social media history becomes exposed and a Dramageddon can result.  

However, any opposition is met with fierce allegiance by the group members; thereby, the possibility of mob mentality runs a muck.  It can be compared to herd behavior if there is a public attack - "it's like when drone bees attack to protect the queen.”

Why is this such a dangerous reaction? These behaviors where people can be influenced by peers are based largely on emotion without any rational logic. In one sense, it can be called gang mentality on a lesser scale.  When problems arise, what matters most is social inclusion, right or wrong, with lack of trust in oneself or indifference … a sad state of affairs on the world view.

One of the most important courses I taught to middle school students was how to manage a conflict situation fairly. Most were shocked to think that both sides could own right reasons. Their lesson was to list different viewpoints each with negative and positive consequences. At the end of discussions, decisions were made with compromise to be as positive and helpful to both sides.   

“Whether the question is what to do with an empty popcorn box in a movie theater, how fast to drive on a certain stretch of highway, or how to eat the chicken at a dinner party, the actions of those around us will be important in defining the answer.” Robert Cialdini:  The Psychology of Persuasion.

Some of the top beauty and fashion influencers can make hundreds of millions of dollars a year. So, I decided to check out what kind of person can become a top respectful representative on social media. 

More red flags started to wave frantically to read about the kind of influence that YouTuber Shane Dawson provides to his 23 million subscribers  and 6.5 billion views. (Wikipedia). Born in 1988, Shane Dawson has become one of the most famous YouTuber internet personalities. He first started in 2008 by making sketch comedy videos that made fun of popular culture. By 2015, he began his most viewed video conspiracy shows  discussing a variety of conspiracy theories and criticized for misinformation like the flat Earth, moon landing hoax, and 9/11 hoax. In 2018 he released two New York Times best-selling books, I Hate Myselfie and It Gets Worse.  

Personally, my distress is palpable to imagine how this kind of questionable social media power can affect the important social psychology of groups, especially teenagers. Humans, at best, as social animals need to apply common principles with their actions and feelings; such as, matters of self-concept, interpersonal skills, attitudes, stereotypes, without aggression, prejudice and discrimination.

We already know that one of the factors in this transition from teenager to adult involves intense peer pressure to conform to group standards and beliefs; or be ostracized and bullied.  All of a sudden, vitamins called Sugar Bear Hair are worth fighting for on a massive scale as dictated by a fashionable guru because he says so and everybody else can be cancelled.

Am I worrying too much this group think has now become normal behavior in our larger culture? Not to question, not to analyze or educate, not to trust democratic debate, not to challenge hype or fake news, but to believe in mob mentality, in minor tweets versus dialogue, without criteria and discipline.

Questions, comments and debate are very welcome. I don't think teenagers can relate to such disadvantages, but I hope parents and adults can.  
Note: I welcome the opportunity for podcast interviews. See previous blogs.

Sincerely,
Annemarie
amarie10@gmail.com
833 471 4661 (please note best time to talk)  
https://helpfulmindstreamforchanges.com

Check out earlier blog: Essential Metaphor of Culture as a Tree for Teenagers 

Read article: Why the beauty community on YouTubeis one of the most turbulent and drama-filled places on the internet

To Vape or Not to Vape? Social Prerogatives to Help Vulnerable Teenagers Make Smart Choices

To Vape or Not to Vape? Social Prerogatives to Help Vulnerable Teens Make Smart Choices 

Someone needs to make this statement, so I will as a devil’s advocate. What if, it's not just about lack of state funding for healthy teens, but more about protecting the big money interests? Who cares if social media turns teenagers into early consumers with premature sexual roles, if drugs and mental depression continue to be problems? Who will advocate to protect their normal social rites of passage minus adult hype?  Annemarie Berukoff  

What do you think is causing this teen age vaping epidemic? There are more and more stories about severe reactions to vapor products requiring medical attention by teenagers. It portends a long-term new generation of youth addicted to nicotine

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling an aerosol or vapor produced by heating a liquid with a battery powered device known as a vape or e-cigarette.

As a parent, would you want your teenager to hook into an advertisement like this if truth were told:

• Try our newest vaping pens with a variety of fruit and candy flavorful e-juices.
• Choose with or without nicotine or cannabis, THC and hemp oil
• Designed better to look like USB memory sticks, lipstick tubes or ball point pens.
• Carry easily in the palm of your hand. Don’t worry that just one “pod” device can contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes.
• Note: Small amount of e-juice can be poisonous to a young child if ingested and toxic if spilled on the skins. Keep away from children and pets.
• Be careful: Vapor devices contain a heat source which can malfunction and cause a mini explosion or start a fire in a purse or backpack.
• Don’t worry: Sales to minors (under 19) is illegal in Canada. Vaping is banned on school grounds. But it's your choice, right!

But how can you stop them from checking out some social media influencers who look bright, beautiful and excited to use the latest vape pen, stick or pod. Join the herd, appeal to cool crowds, bump up your buddy, irresistible consistency…everybody likes it, be a little secretive growing up.

In fact, one of the vape manufacturers, JUUL, has recently been investigated by the FTC for deliberate advertising that targets teens as is obvious by their online ads.

There is no disagreement that smoking cigarettes or e-cigarettes with nicotine is hazardous to your health. There are several reports of young students hospitalized for weeks with one or two collapsed lungs which are hard to re-inflate, thereby causing long term health problems. So why do it if you know the facts?

The Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health in Canada has made this statement: 

Nicotine is highly addictive and can have harmful impacts on the brain, affecting memory and concentration in everyone and brain development in youth and young adults. It alters part of the brain that controls attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Early exposure to nicotine in adolescence may increase the severity of future dependence on tobacco.

However, I have 3 questions that bother me greatly. If adults want to vape...let them be masters of their fate, but leave teenagers alone.

ONE: Why are young teenagers so vulnerable to social media influencers or any other deliberate advertisers with hot button selling techniques that appeal to peer pressure and ego?

I believe part of the answer is how some social echelons think they can take advantage of a developing adolescent brain that lacks prefrontal, deductive judgement skills until maturation in mid-twenties.

An adolescent brain passes signals through a central relay station called the amygdala which processes emotional feelings. Psychologists call these amygdala reactions as seen in typical behavior; impulsive, irrational, high tolerance to risks and conforming to peer pressure or risk bullying or ostracism.  

It is with the same adolescent brain that a young teen girl faces on social media to meet certain objective idealized standards to be liked and rewarded, and not to be excluded. Too many times this means adapting to an adult lifestyle, fashion, entertainment and expectations.

Curious how public reaction  to vaping has become importantly mainstream because the negative results are physically observable … collapsed and contaminated lungs possibly for life based on a vulnerable young brain taking a risk.

TWO: Why there is lack of public attention to social media struggles and regrets for teen girls who may face long term mental health issues like low self-esteem and enhanced depression over time?

 In fact, recent research is now using MRI technology to show the reactions and effects of social media immersion like social withdrawal, anxiety, aggressive acting out and disobedience. In fact, more associations over time are being studied for long term effects.

We have a social prerogative not to assume idly that teen girls’ mental well-beings will just get over it ... adolescent trials will just metamorphose into happy, self- respecting, masterful  productive citizens. What if early experiences, regrets and mistakes on social media never go away? Research simply doesn’t support this. 

Note the 6 key findings by the World HealthOrganization and weep  

THREE: How can teenagers make smarter choices for themselves ... to vape or not to vape? 

Of course, parents cannot be helicopters all the time, and there needs to be trust that their  children's growing independence means making good choices and decisions on their own.

What if, teens can learn to respect their timelines as more important than social media, or following the Pied Piper of advertising or peer pressure?

What if they can connect the past, present and future  and see how the power of making a smart choice is the starting point to making smart decisions?

What if a simple script, a superpower tool, can ask important questions to vape or not to vape?

Imagine this scenario … a 14-year girl or boy is invited to try a vape pen by a friend at a gathering. YES or NO?  Before a choice is made, a short script flashes in their mind:

1. THE PAST: What you remember … success … failure … repeat … never again

2. THE FUTURE: Where do you want to be … avoid pain + loss … attract hopes + dreams

3. TODAY: Who you are … best fit between your past and future

NOW MAKE A SMART CHOICE

This mental check may only take a minute or two. Stop and think ... what do I know about past behaviors with vaping? Do I really want to face possible addiction or disease to be popular? I don’t need stimulants to be self-centered, my future is too important.

What if, respecting my timeline may be the only stimulus I need to say NO! 

I believe we  have a social prerogative to do better for our teenage sons and daughters on their journey to adulthood. Of course, any kind of education will be helpful to know the facts.

 Also, importantly, in a time-ravaged society they need to know the precious value of their time and how to spend it wisely. They need to discuss the progression of time in elements they can understand. In this information overflow we need to help them make smart choices to avoid making mistakes that can derail a lifetime of possibilities. All teen boys and girls need to stand tall, strong and proud of who they are, more aligned with the universe than social media or a cloud of vaping smoke.

What kinds of questions bother you about teenagers, social media, our culture, and how we can help our teenagers realize their responsibilities and dreams?

Questions and comments are always appreciated as the best way to address some of these concerns from your experiences. 

Sincerely,

Annemarie

amarie10@gmail.com

1 833 471 4661 (please leave a message and a good time to talk)

https://helpfulmindstreamforchanges.com 

Excerpt: Teen Girl Faces Time in the Sand 

There is power in the internet. In fact, it has solidly bonded with our society.  The choice is to stay connected or disconnected, to be more informed or less informed, have more confidence or have more fear,  keep your mind open or keep it closed.

It doesn't have to be a monster devouring its Selfie offspring tethered on Celties. But I get the difference now that I have a superpower, too, unto myself to make to respect my shorelines.  It is a wide-open world of choice. Make it a world of smart, well informed choices.

We can use internet power to connect and care, to show honest effort and consideration of others and to give thanks for efforts and kindness.