Is social media radicalising our youth?

It sounds paradoxical, but it's a fact: in the highly complex digital world, everything is based on absolute simplicity. It represents every letter, every sound and every image with just two digits: 1 and 0. The binary system only recognises two states. On or off. Everything or nothing.

Black-and-white thinking works in a similar way. It reduces the most complex issues to two simple points of view: good or bad, right or wrong, in favour or against. A differentiated view, a thorough analysis or critical scrutiny are not taken into account.

In terms of content, it is usually not about the issue itself, but solely about insisting on your point of view.

This limited way of thinking originally comes from psychology. Today, however, it is a mass phenomenon on social media. Anyone who posts their views on politics, Taylor Swift or the existence of extraterrestrials does not have to wait long for a strong headwind. The tone on the internet is becoming more radical every day, poisoning the mood in front of our screens too.

In terms of content, it is usually not about the matter itself, but solely about insisting on one's point of view. And although nothing in life is really simple, this method nevertheless appeals to our deep longing for simplification. This development harbours many dangers, especially as black-and-white thinking is particularly entangling for children and young people who spend time on these networks and are looking for guidance.

Tiktok as a scapegoat for radicalisation?

The last European elections are a good example of this. For the first time, young people aged 16 and over were allowed to vote - and a striking number of young people voted for right-wing populist parties. Otherwise, this target group seemed to be located more in left-wing ecological groups. In the search for plausible explanations, the culprit was quickly identified: Tiktok.

This platform has long been used by extremist opinion leaders to mobilise young voters with low-threshold video messages. Black-and-white thinking is their sharpest sword. They present seemingly simple solutions to complex issues, gradually undermining faith in basic democratic values.

The coronavirus pandemic has permanently slowed down and set back the natural development of children and young people.

Even if social media is an extremely effective amplifier for such content and positions, the real reason why this hits such a nerve with young people lies elsewhere. And even if the right to vote for 16-year-olds does not materialise in Switzerland for the time being, one thing is certain: the young generation's deep insecurity does not stop at national borders.

A drastic corona pandemic

The long phase of the coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly been one of the most serious upheavals in recent years. This life, characterised by strong fears and isolation, has permanently slowed down and set back children and young people in their natural development. What's more, this gruelling period has even made them much more thin-skinned. The numerous crises in the world - inflation, wars, climate change - have greatly increased their fears about the future. They realise that the major parties have no answers to their concerns. They often feel that they are not being taken seriously.

So if they are not listened to there, they turn to those who claim to do just that. Of course, they then want very simple solutions. Just like children. Or actually like all of us. With one notable difference: black-and-white thinking is already inherent in childhood. Even young children can instinctively distinguish between right and wrong. They use simplified categorisations to try and find their way in their world. Good or safe is white, bad and dangerous is black.

Polarised views during puberty

This form of thinking remains their faithful companion throughout middle childhood and adolescence. This is because the path to differentiated thinking continues into adulthood. The reason: the prefrontal cortex, i.e. the frontal part of the frontal lobe responsible for complex thinking, planning and impulse control, requires this very long developmental period.

Especially during puberty, when things can sometimes be very turbulent emotionally, there are often starkly polarised views. Due to the natural process of detachment from parents, adolescents look for other mentors and role models, for example in social media.

It's time to cut back on the endless stream of news and information in favour of quality of life.

Particularly perfidious: as soon as the black-and-white thinking inherent in children and young people meets the highly manipulative black-and-white thinking of populist camps, this choice also has a fatal psychological effect. Because anyone who can no longer escape the loops of simplified thinking is no longer capable of a balanced view or differentiated thinking. In psychology, this phenomenon is also known as dichotomous thinking and is generally regarded as a cognitive distortion that promotes negative feelings, anxiety and depression in particular.

Researchers still know too little about how deeply polarising and extreme content, if repeated often enough, is imprinted in the emotional memory of young brains. And which neuronal connections influence their thinking in the long term. So what can we do?

How positive thinking is reclaiming its place

Maybe you're like me: when I read the news every day and scroll through social media, I can only come to one conclusion: The end of the world is imminent. Our society in the digital age is flooded with information and is therefore constantly irritated. What's more, many things are often talked down to.

But if I only allow worries, fears and frustration, my existence would no longer be worth living. The oft-cited role model function becomes a real mammoth task. Children orientate themselves less on our words and more on our attitudes and actions.

I think it's time to push back the endless stream of news and information a little in favour of quality of life and reclaim positive thinking.

Let's teach our children and young people,

• ... that they are allowed to scrutinise everything, including us;
• ... that not everything is black or white, woke or right;
• ... that there are always more than just two points of view;
• ... that the simple solutions are often not solutions at all;
• ... that fears must never be allowed to dominate our lives;
• ... how we can philosophise together about the complexity of everyday life;
• ... how we can cultivate a culture of debate characterised by respect together;
• ... how we see more of the good in order to endure the bad in the world;
• ... why democracy is still the best form of government.