How Would Kierkegaard See Social Media?

Imagine for a moment that Søren Kierkegaard, the 19th-century Danish philosopher and father of existentialism, were to wake up in our world. How would he react to social media, a digital landscape brimming with opinions, performances, and endless scrolling? Would he see it as a tool for self-expression, or would he caution us against its pitfalls? Let’s explore how Kierkegaard’s core ideas might illuminate our relationship with platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

The Crowd and the Loss of the Individual

Kierkegaard famously critiqued “the crowd” as a force that undermines individuality. To him, the crowd—be it a physical mob or a cultural consensus—distracts people from becoming their true selves. Social media, with its algorithms and echo chambers, might appear to Kierkegaard as the modern crowd par excellence.

Platforms encourage conformity through trends, likes, and viral content. Instead of fostering individuality, they often reward imitation and superficiality. Kierkegaard might warn that by prioritizing social validation over authentic selfhood, we risk losing sight of who we truly are. “The crowd is untruth,” he wrote, and on social media, the constant pressure to fit in could feel like a digital manifestation of this untruth.

Despair and the Aesthetic Life

Kierkegaard identified three stages of life: the aesthetic, the ethical, and the religious. The aesthetic life, focused on pleasure and external appearances, often leads to despair because it lacks deeper meaning. Social media, with its curated highlights and endless pursuit of likes, seems tailor-made for the aesthetic life.

To Kierkegaard, despair is not just feeling sad; it’s a deeper existential disconnect from one’s true self. He might see influencers and users chasing clout as emblematic of this despair. By building their identities on fleeting metrics—likes, followers, and trends—they might be avoiding the harder, inward journey of discovering who they are.

Authenticity vs. Performance

Kierkegaard championed authenticity, the idea of living in alignment with one’s true self, even when it’s difficult or unpopular. Social media, however, often blurs the line between authentic self-expression and performance. Filters, captions, and polished personas can feel like masks, distancing users from their genuine identities.

Kierkegaard might ask: Are we using social media to connect authentically with others, or are we performing for an audience? The latter, he might argue, only deepens the existential despair he warned against. True authenticity requires vulnerability and introspection—qualities that are often sacrificed in the quest for online approval.

Anxiety and the Infinite Scroll

Anxiety, for Kierkegaard, was not inherently bad. He saw it as a sign of human freedom—our awareness of infinite possibilities and the weight of choosing who to become. But social media’s design might exacerbate anxiety in a way Kierkegaard would find troubling.

The infinite scroll, with its endless options and comparisons, keeps us in a state of distraction. Instead of confronting our existential anxiety and using it as a springboard for growth, we numb it with doomscrolling or mindless swiping. Kierkegaard might see this as a missed opportunity for self-reflection and growth.

The Religious Stage: A Call to Higher Meaning

Ultimately, Kierkegaard believed that true fulfillment comes from a relationship with the divine and a commitment to a higher purpose. In a world dominated by social media, he might urge us to step back and reflect: Are our online interactions aligned with our deeper values? Or are they pulling us further from what truly matters?

Social media isn’t inherently bad, Kierkegaard might concede, but its potential for distraction is immense. It can be a space for genuine connection and meaningful dialogue, but only if we approach it with mindfulness and purpose. He might challenge us to use social media not as an escape, but as a tool for cultivating authenticity and engaging with others in meaningful ways.

Conclusion: Kierkegaard’s Timeless Wisdom

If Kierkegaard could see our social media habits today, he might feel both fascinated and concerned. He would likely see it as a powerful reflection of the existential struggles he wrote about: the tension between individuality and conformity, authenticity and performance, distraction and self-awareness.

His advice? Step away from the crowd. Pause the scrolling. Look inward. Social media may offer connection and entertainment, but the journey to becoming your true self—what Kierkegaard called the “subjective truth”—requires something deeper. And that, perhaps, is the lesson we need most in our hyperconnected world.