The Philosophy of “Like”

Being “liked” has about it a translucent power hardly ever more important. In this sweeping global phenomenon that is Facebook the amount of “likes” is a currency we all seem to now relate with.

We ought to never underestimate the psychological powers that ‘be’ in the realms of Facebook and Twitter and their fellow constituents.

Social power is now the voice of this Day. It commands our zealous attention.

This New Day finds no restriction to genre or age or medium. The generation that is conversant with this social phenomenon is not at all restricted to Gen-Y or the Millennials; it is capturing the hearts and minds of all people and of all ages and in every nation of the world; people in a massive variety of circumstances.

It is the newest new thing.

Likeability’s Role

There are some people who are more prone to this than others are, but there is a need deep within each human being to be approved.

Being liked when we went to school and as we entered our workplaces—and as we continue—was (and is!) quite dramatically paramount. It always will be. If we’re not approved, lest otherwise our approval in the guise of God, we feel disconnected, disenchanted, disillusioned.

Facebook have tapped into the psychology of this beautifully, even down to the colour scheme of “likes,” the notifications, and use of “home” and “profile” pages, so far as “likes” are concerned.

The receipt of “likes” is affirming but also dependency forming. We’ve perhaps never been more influenced by what people do and don’t like about what we post.

The trouble is we can find ourselves either elated or despondent. There’s hardly a middle ground.

A Better “Like”

Some things were never meant to be the zenith.

Social networking has many, many pluses about it. It’s not ‘addictive’ (in this context it’s meant in the best sense of that word) without good reason. Many people receive some significant portion of their fellowshipping needs from it. For others, despite want for body friendship, it’s all they have. Facebook has hence got a godly purpose.

But it comes to an end pretty quickly, does its purpose. We can all too easily find ourselves unfulfilled if we seek all our fulfilment out of it.

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The best philosophy of “like” there ever can be is God’s “like” of us. This is true, but because it’s so ethereal we often aren’t satisfied with it. Our ambivalence is obvious.

A moment in time when we truly go after this “like” will dictate something significant—the angels of the Lord will go there with us into contentment.

Finally we will feel approved, for there is no approval like God’s approval.

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.