With the innovation of technology, social media, television, and other media, people are much more connected than before. Someone in Japan can communicate with someone in Chile with ease. With people being much more connected than before, it has allowed cultures, information, and opinions to be shared on a wider scale. As useful as being connected and in tune with other people across the world can sound, one can’t help but think that it can sometimes create more discord.
The innovation of social media has grown over the past few decades and is still unregulated, and its uses and effects are still being explored. Social media can gather communities and sometimes distance communities. A phenomenon noticed is that many people share their opinions on various topics on social media, ranging from politics, fashion, culture, and even tips. However, these opinions, which were once useful to gain insight into other perspectives, can sometimes be used negatively to polarize and ostracize individuals. This phenomenon can possibly be correlated with declining media literacy paired with an increasing individualistic worldview. There is an episode of The Amazing World of Gumball about realizing that other people exist outside of your view.
A theory popularized on social media is the “Bean Soup Theory.” The term was popularized when a TikTok user by the name of @VibingGranolaMom posted a video of her making a bean soup recipe. A seemingly innocent cent piece of video content created upheaval in the comments and TikTok community. Many commenters voiced their qualms over the use of beans in the “Bean Soup Theory,” demanding substitutes. Other commenters were quick to note that other viewers could simply scroll and find a new soup recipe. The debacle started what is known as the “Bean Soup Theory,” the idea that everything must cater to an individual’s needs. It is an individualistic opinion of society that has caused many arguments on the internet.
A similar concept to the bean soup theory is a tweet from Twitter, a social media platform known for peaceful discussions. A tweet from user @BravoCollee summarizes the issues with users and individualism. Part of the tweet reads “You can say ‘I like pancakes’ and somebody will say ‘So you hate waffles?’”
So, how did a generation that predates social media invert its intended use? The issue is that social media creates echo chambers where opinions similar to those of the user are primarily the only ones shown on that user’s page. The issue with that constant positive reinforcement is that it polarizes individuals who have much more in common than differences. It also creates more emphasis on the feelings of a user.
Often, users will try to refocus a conversation onto their opinions and experiences. Constant “Oppression Olympics” and “what about me” discussions create more dissonance on social media. Not everything on social media must involve an individual. It is okay to have differences in opinion (let’s not go overboard), but it is absurd to demand that everyone accommodate and acknowledge their preferences. Someone’s favorite movie may not be yours, and that is okay, but that does not mean that with their opinion, they hate your favorite movie. Reading between the lines is one thing, but inventing them is another.