This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy!

Social media is all around us, whether we like it or not. No matter where you go, you will see people constantly checking their phones, taking selfies, or updating their Facebook status. I am one of those people who have spent a few minutes looking at my feed and thinking, “Everyone looks so happy – what am I doing wrong?”

I’m doing nothing wrong. I’m of a generation where I don’t feel pressure to put on a happy face to my peers. I don’t worry about what a potential employer might think of me, based on my social media output. For a change, I feel happy to not be a college student or a Millennial. The pressure (both internal and external) that this generation is under is immense. There is nowhere to hide, nowhere to truly “be yourself” – because the whole world is watching.

The author interviewed a wide sampling of college students around the United States and put together their thoughts in this thought provoking book. Most of the interviewees spoke of selecting the best moments to share on FB, while saving the gossip and melancholy thoughts for sites that encourage anonymous postings. I learned about a site called Yik Yak, where there are no identities, and no boundaries. I also learned that when some students took a self-imposed “holiday” from their cellphones, it was like a vacation. They spoke of truly being in the moment, rather than recording it for their wall.

There was a chapter on relationships, and how students felt about hookup sites like Tinder. In an interesting juxtaposition to this theory by Simon Sinek (click here for video), Freitas notes that college students are very capable of socializing and meeting people, having complete and meaningful conversations with each other, and being empathetic. When they are around their friends, they don’t become awkward and seek to lose themselves in technology; they interact and communicate like any other generation. Sinek, on the other hand, claims that Millennials and future generations will be unable to communicate face to face, due to their smartphone addiction.

For me, the best part of the book was the last 2 chapters, where the author fleshes out her theories and explains her thought process. I support her suggestions of wi-fi free zones, and professors requiring a basket for cellphone “parking” during classes. I also applauded the inclusion of different races and religions, providing needed diversity and showing the reader how circumstances were different from one person to another.

The interviews were informative, and sometimes shocking, but at times they became repetitive and clogged the flow of information. Perhaps if she organized the book differently, it would have been a bit shorter. She did summarize each chapter at the end, while allowing the thoughts and quotes from each interviewee to illustrate her theories.

One thought that kept occurring to me was how happy I was to be older in today’s world, as I mentioned before. It’s a shame that technology has become such a big part in our lives; I can only hope the human race does not become lost. ( )

The Happiness Effecct, By Donna Freitas
How Social Media is Driving a Generastion to Appear Perfect at Any Cost.

This book is based on a research study with students on thirteen different college campuses. Through surveys and interviews with these college students, you will learn how they are using Social Media and what that means to them.

Through honest and frank conversations with these young college students, we learn that even well-adjusted individuals can be filled with self-doubt when they compare their lives with those they see online. Wanting to seam perfect to others, when in fact no one is perfect or has a perfect life. Coming from a variety of diverse backgrounds the real search for these college students is for happiness. They are more aware now, then ever before, that what they put online can be seen by anyone. Worrying about what they post and how that will be perceived in the future, not only by friends but potential employers. Will past posting mistakes come back to haunt them. They share their feeling about different websites and how they or others use them is enlighten.

A very good read that I enjoyed. ( )

Research in The Happiness Effect offers a multitude of insights into the negative effects of Social Media,
notably on young people's emerging identities, minds, and spirits.

It is timely reading, not only for parents, teachers, and the people affected, but for therapists and doctors
who will be dealing with the emotional and physical impacts of the fallout from online appearances counting
way more than the reality of happiness which gets further distorted.

My copy will go next to expand and enhance the work of my Family Therapist daughter.

Where to go for solutions? ( )

I received this book through LibraryThing. I like this book because most of my students are part of this generation she is describing. They might be in middle school but social media seems to be the center of their lives. Most of the students interviewed sound like they are closer my age and I was kind of surprised by the results. I am not sure that ALL kids/young adults are quite so concerned with their future employers seeing their Facebook, however, I do think they care about things like getting likes. I know lots of kids spend time crafting their posts and making sure their pictures are pretty or funny. This books highlights the sad truth that the social media that is meant to help us feel connected is actually driving us farther apart. ( )

004.67808 F8666 2017