How TikTok Anti-Intellectualism is Dumbing Down Our Society

In recent times, it’s hard to ignore the rise of social media platforms that have taken the world by storm. Amongst them, TikTok has been one of the fastest-growing platforms, with over 800 million active users worldwide. It’s a platform where users can create and share short, entertaining videos, showcasing their talent or creativity. Though it started as a fun app, it has now transformed into a medium of expressing one’s opinion on various topics. However, the type of content that TikTok has been promoting is a matter of concern, as it seems to glorify anti-intellectualism, which is slowly but surely eroding the intellectual fabric of our society.

The rise of anti-intellectualism:

Anti-intellectualism is the attitude that considers intellectual pursuits and critical thinking unnecessary or unimportant. It is increasingly evident in the type of content that TikTok has been promoting. The platform is flooded with videos that promote pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, and false information. Countless videos show users offering their opinions on issues even though they lack any credible information. Some of the videos are intentionally misleading, encouraging people to boycott essential products or activities.

For example, one of the most popular TikTok trends promoted drinking chlorophyll, an idea that has been widely discredited by experts. Similarly, there have been countless videos where users have flaunted their ignorance by arguing against masks or social distancing during the pandemic. These videos have gone viral, and we see users with little or no understanding of the issue, propagate ideas that are outright dangerous.

The problem with anti-intellectualism:

The problem is more profound than just TikTok – anti-intellectualism is slowly creeping into our culture and becoming the norm rather than the exception. Its impact is evident, as society is now vulnerable to dangerous ideologies, pseudoscience, and information that is factually incorrect. We need to recognize why this trend is problematic.

First, anti-intellectualism becomes harmful when people with no expertise or experience offer dubious, baseless opinions on important issues. When people peddle misinformation with conviction, it inaccurately shapes public knowledge and can quickly lead to a lack of trust in those who have the necessary knowledge and expertise.

Second, the promotion of anti-intellectualism undermines academic research, and scientific discourse. It hinders research in domains where scientific study is essential, such as medicine, social sciences, and climate science. This shift in perspective could have severe consequences in dire situations.

Third, anti-intellectualism leads to a problem of confirmation bias, where people tend to believe what they want to believe. It becomes challenging to institute change and progress towards creating a more informed society.

Conclusion:

While TikTok may seem like harmless fun, its promotion of anti-intellectualism has damaging implications. It is the responsibility of the content creators and the platform to understand the impact that their content can have on society and make efforts to ensure that it promotes critical thinking, reasoning, and factual accuracy. We must recognize that intellectualism is a crucial aspect of retaining the intellectual fabric of our society. As individuals, it becomes our responsibility to fact-check, think critically, and not fall prey to misinformation.