Social media: the slot machine in your pocket
Does the house always win?
Never before in human history has there been a better platform for thought-sharing and community creation than social media.
It is really good at it.
Like really, really good.
SO. GOOD.
A popular theory among historians about our evolution suggests that human societies were built upon the foundations of gossip and the ability to tell stories. It has allowed for better collaboration in the human species and resulted in our domination of the current world. Assuming this were true, a medium that promotes (or perhaps, exploits) this intrinsic human nature doing extremely well today is hardly surprising.
In fact, over the years, the medium has subtly perfected the art of catering to a certain psychological vulnerability we possess, in a way that is surprisingly similar to slot machines.
Evolution of the slot machine
If you think casinos, you invariably think slot machines.
A simple, FUN contraption that has evolved over the years to thrive in the $460 billion gambling industry. From a simple arcade game to being deemed “mechanical larceny”, publicly sledgehammered and dumped into the New York harbor, slot machines have had a rich history.
Over the years, casinos have continuously improved on their biggest money-making machine to now arrive at a formula that subconsciously makes it much more appealing to players.
The current slot machine setup is entirely based on comfort and reduction of fatigue, to make one numb to the “risks” of gambling and the volatility involved. Therefore, the newer slot machines do not have a lever/arm, they instead have a simple button that is easily pressed several times a minute. Chairs have been set up at each machine, the noisy mechanical reels have been replaced by a screen, all of it contributing to a sense of calm and alleviation. Perhaps, the most important change has been the working of these machines, which can be understood by the following graphs:
On the left, is a money-time graph of the early slot machines, where a player might experience a win and then lose their money very quickly, leaving the machine in a short amount of time.
On the right is the graph of the newer, sophisticated slot machines which provide the comfort experience, leading to longer engagement with the machine and a rather gentle drain of more money. These machines have more reels and rows leading to more pay-lines (winning patterns), thereby providing a player the illusion of winning something in the short-term whilst unwittingly losing more and more money over the increasing time spent.
Slot machines are more attractive to the general public over say, games involving cards, because these machines require no skill, but they also tap into a core human vulnerability called “The Zone”, which contributes to their global success.p
Research has shown that humans can enter into a “zone” during particular activities, where the anticipation of the reward releases greater amounts of dopamine (the pleasure chemical) than the reward itself. The outcome becomes irrelevant and the mere expectation of something greatly positive provides more excitement and pleasure. Waiting for 3–4 seconds while the reels of a slot machine rotate provides a similar sense of joy, and creates a hook into “The Zone”.
How does social media achieve the same?
At the end of the day, social media is about the participants and their attention. Each social media company attempts to increase engagement time and minimize any form of friction that would push a participant away. This has been executed and near perfected over several iterations by scientifically experimenting every small element of their product on their user base. What works, what doesn’t, it’s all in the little details that evade the general public’s conscience and aims to push our subconscious minds into certain habits that optimize their revenue.
The ease of access, right from our fingertips, and the simplicity in moving from one piece of content to the next, with the expectation of something eye-catching, simulates a similar effect to that of slot machines. When you run out of content, you refresh by pulling the screen down (similar to pulling down the slot machine lever), and you’re immediately bombarded by fresh content, and you repeat the cycle. It does not even matter what you’re actually looking at, but the hope and expectation of seeing something major is enough to hold your attention and subconsciously push you into “The Zone”. This is exacerbated by the fact that most people share the more extreme (happy or sad) moments of their life on social media, so we’re routinely “rewarded” by receiving a regular dose of that something major we’re scrolling for.
Instead of paying more money to continue using the system like in the case of slots, you pay in time and attention, which some would argue is even more precious?
Slot machines are often placed at the entrance of the casino, because they form a recognizable and fun “gateway” of sorts into the world of gambling. Similarly, social media today is very adept at finding rabbit holes for us to pursue, to keep us engaged and invest more attention into the system. Ever found yourself watching a video of a random koala screaming on YouTube?
No?
WELL, YOU GOTTA. Here it is.
Conclusion
Back to the question, does all of this mean that the “house” (i.e., social media companies) always wins?
Depends. You can always take control of your usage, and being aware of why social media is such an alluring proposition can help I guess.
Like most things this world has to offer, in moderation, it can be truly wonderful, connecting us in unprecedented ways.
I guess the real question is, at scale, how many of us are able to regulate our usage? Because the “house” does not care about individual losses, it wins because of the law of truly large numbers.
