episode 1 – impressionable mindsA young man seeking popularity immerses himself in social media, requiring increasingly dangerous activities.
A young man seeking popularity immerses himself in social media, requiring increasingly dangerous activities.
Blending In
A teen is drawn to the enticing new social media platform, EnvyMe. Fast-moving videos of people leaping over speeding cars, hanging from bridges, and living in luxury captivate his envious eyes.
The dangerous failures often receive more views than the successes. The EnvyMe algorithm even learns users’ interests to suggest what to watch, keeping them enthralled for hours.
The pressure to conform on today’s youth is intense. Failing to follow clothing fads or have a presence on social media makes someone an outcast. If for no other reason, social media participation allows youths to monitor their bullying.
The new social media platform appeals to the psyche of impressionable youth. It inspires action, adventure, objectification, and materialism. On the surface, what seems harmless becomes an obsession for those striving for popularity.
Rachel, a spoiled youth from an affluent family, has grown up in the spotlight of a vanity mirror. She defies parental authority but gets anything she requests from her father.
“Daddy, my old phone is running out of storage. I want the new one that just came out. It has a better camera, too.”
The mother chimes in, “Didn’t we just purchase a phone six months ago?”
“Oh, Daddy, the new one has a larger screen and everything.”
Her father relents, “Okay, Baby, you can have it.”
EnvyMe boosts members’ status ranking based on what they wear, who they know, and what they do. With all her baubles and bangles that attract viewers, Rachel adopts the platform. Her posts with photos of herself alongside enviable possessions cause her follower count to soar.
This popularity boosts her other campus achievements, like cheerleading and becoming class president. Intending to become an actress or model, she begins taking drama classes that indulge her pretentious obsession with image.
The image Sadie views through her mirror lacks her peers’ good fortune and facial beauty. She strives to gain followers by using racy photos.
Before gaining the desired traction, her illegal activities got her banned from the platform and ostracized from academic endeavors. For her efforts, she becomes low-hanging fruit for guys seeking someone with loose morals.
Parents face challenges of protecting impressionable teens while gradually nurturing adolescent decision-making skills. Hold the reins too tightly and their youth rebel. Release the reins and face the consequences of becoming a negligent parent.
Mr. and Mrs. Dawson attempt to instill a conservative approach to social media, relying on safeguards from the phone company. For their son, Wayne, they restrict the hours, accessible websites, and contacts. He remembers the waning excitement of receiving his first phone.
What he thought would make him popular becomes a source of ridicule by his classmates. They mock the phone’s size, its brand, and its limited capabilities. Soon, he finds ways to bypass the safeguards and obtains a better phone.
When his technical expertise surpasses that of his parents, Wayne becomes the household IT support person. The accomplishment instills a sense of power over his destiny. His mother nudges her husband, saying, “Wayne will likely become a computer programmer someday.”
Gaining Visibility
On campus, Wayne experiences the same pressure as other youths. Meeting new friends often includes a request for a social media handle. His attempt to befriend Rachel, with more than 2,000 followers, quickly sours when he discovers that his EnvyMe activity determines whether he’s worthy of friendship.
Wayne begins making videos of himself engaging in extreme sports. Initially, there are many edits to remove failures, but eventually, he becomes proficient in skateboarding, motocross, bicycle tricks, and snowboarding.
He borrows expensive gadgets as props and photographs himself leaning on exotic cars. Like Pavlov’s classic “psychic secretion,” Wayne salivates as his follower count increases above 500.
The threads of the close-knit family begin to unravel slowly. The uniting dinners they cherished to discuss vacations and daily issues are in the rearview mirror.
Now, Wayne edits videos in his room while only two of three dinner plates are in use. To mask his dangerous thrill-seeking activities, he has one account to show to his parents and another that features what his peers crave.
Duped by the subterfuge, they purchase the skates, bicycles, and snowboards that enable his addictions, believing these things contribute to his enjoyment of a good childhood.
To the dismay of school counselors and family, his newfound activity quells other academic ambitions. He tells counselors he’s undecided about his career goals.
Another good-looking girl on campus named Chelsea gains popularity for her good grades in a quest to become Valedictorian. However, the enticements of EnvyMe draw her to create an account. She remains more studious, but with a follow count under 200, she lacks the same status as Rachel.
The thirst for more popularity requires greater risks. During the summer leading to his senior high school year, Wayne plans a major event to boost his ranking. As he ascends a path high in the hills, his heart races with thoughts of retreating.
With a deep breath and a push from an instructor, Wayne zip lines across a valley, concealing his fear with exuberant shouts.
The video camera strapped to his helmet depicts burnt sienna mountains jutting through the lush green treetops as he soars at speeds approaching 40 miles per hour. This boosts his follower count above 1,000.
When Rachel begins following Wayne’s media channel, he sees an opportunity to begin dating when the school year resumes. At the behest of follower comments, he accepts a new challenge to bungee jump. l
The prospect is frightening and lacks parental consent. As a puppet of fame, he finds a shoddy host for what will be his most daring activity.
Continued…
Return twice weekly for miniseries. Use of this material for generative training or republication in any format without authorization is prohibited. Any relation to actual persons or events is coincidental. Login provides the most immersive experience. About 2900 total words.
