We are all familiar with that little excitement from creating a popular post on Facebook. Watching the number of likes can be both attractive and addictive.
That same buzz (兴奋) can have its disadvantages, though. We all know the feeling of watching other people’s posts get unending positive feedback. We tell ourselves that the only reason why these people are getting attention is that they’re popular and good-looking. We sink into self-loading (自我讨厌) and comparison. Therefore, after experimenting with hiding likes on Instagram in select countries, Facebook is exploring doing the same on its main platform.
That Facebook is considering this is encouraging. After years of appearing to ignore criticism about its effects on society, the company finally seems to be listening. However, there is a basic conflict between Facebook’s business model and its new-found altruism (利己主义). Relying on Facebook to look after its users’ mental health is a bit like asking McDonald’s to keep its customers’ blood pressure under control: At some point, a company’s need to make money is not in line with its supposed desire to do good.
The problem with likes is that they mark out how successful or happy others are, which in turn can promote a feeling of envy and insecurity. It’s a real phenomenon. However, Facebook would certainly want you to post things that get more likes. The company’s success relies upon you posting more and encouraging more “engagement” from other people so that the value of Facebook’s targeted ad business increases.
Facebook’s reliance on engagement is deep-rooted, and it destroys a supposed desire to prevent the platform from encouraging envy. Without doubt, hiding likes can have some benefit, but the way Facebook is built means that this will always be a small step at best.
【小题1】Why does Facebook try hiding likes on its main platform?| A．To catch more users’ eyes. | B．To get involved in an experiment. |
| C．To reduce users’ negative feelings. | D．To encourage users’ posting positive things. |
| A．Facebook shows less concern for users’ mental health. |
| B．Facebook focuses more on the users’ interests. |
| C．Facebook makes a health y profit from the users. |
| D．Facebook outperforms McDonald’s in terms of service. |
| A．More users’ needs. | B．The growth of value. |
| C．The increases of desire. | D．More users’ security. |
| A．Negative. | B．Positive. | C．Indifferent. | D．Objective. |
