Social Media Rule-Making Exploits Our Desire for Certainty in Uncertain Times
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/francesca-newton. "The 60-second rule? Colour theory? Yet more ways we’re supposed to live our lives | Francesca Newton | The Guardian." February 21, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
Social media is full of people telling us exactly how to live our lives, from what colors to wear to how to sit properly. The author argues this happens because we're living in uncertain times and crave guidance, but these online 'rules' are really just ways to get clicks and sell us things, and following too many of them actually makes us less happy and authentic.
Conclusion
The proliferation of prescriptive lifestyle rules on social media represents a problematic response to contemporary uncertainty that commodifies guidance while potentially undermining personal autonomy and authentic happiness
Premises
- Social media platforms are increasingly filled with authoritative content telling people how to live, from color analysis to etiquette rules
- This prescriptive content uses imperative language and claims of authority to create engagement, regardless of the creators' actual credentials
- People genuinely desire guidance on how to look, live, and be, especially during periods of instability and declining living standards
- These rules promise a shortcut to success and approval by creating a 'correct' version of oneself that serves as protection against life's problems
- We live in a moment when traditional rules and institutions feel particularly weak, from geopolitical leadership to personal conduct guidelines
- Social media's frantic energy is consciously filling the gap left by weakened real-world authority structures
- While individual rules may have merit, happiness cannot come from a minutely prescribed existence that demands incorporating numerous external directives
Assumptions
- Personal autonomy and individual preference are valuable and should be preserved
- Authentic happiness comes from facing one's historical context rather than trying to discipline oneself out of it
- The current period represents unusual instability compared to previous eras
- Traditional institutions and authority structures previously provided adequate guidance
- Social media engagement metrics drive content creation decisions
- There is a meaningful distinction between genuine guidance and commercialized rule-making