The Silent Erosion of Morality
✍️ Pratham Uvaach
We see a lot of things happening around us that hint at the moral degradation of society. Extramarital affairs and brutal killings no longer raise eyebrows. News of a daughter beating her parents, a teacher raping a student, or even cases of incest appear frequently, and the shock factor seems to be fading. What was once unthinkable in a culture-driven society has now become just another headline. But why is this happening? What has changed in the way people think and react?
Let’s analyze this scientifically.
How Content Consumption Shapes Our Thinking
1. Desensitization to Immorality Through Media Exposure
Research in Psychological Science (2019) shows that repeated exposure to immoral or unethical content in entertainment reduces emotional responses over time. This process, called desensitization, makes people more accepting of behaviors they once considered wrong.
Example:
A decade ago, movies and shows portrayed extramarital affairs with a sense of guilt and consequence. Today, many films present them as personal choices rather than moral dilemmas. Over time, this normalization weakens society’s perception of right and wrong.
2. The Influence of Social Media on Human Behavior
A 2021 study in Nature Communications found that social media algorithms amplify content that triggers strong emotional reactions—outrage, excitement, or controversy—rather than content that is meaningful or constructive. This means the more people engage with toxic, immoral, or hypersexualized content, the more it is pushed into their feeds.
Example:
Memes and viral trends often trivialize serious issues. A meme joking about cheating in relationships, for instance, subtly reinforces the idea that betrayal is funny rather than harmful.
3. How Negative Content Rewires Our Brain
A 2020 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that repeated exposure to negative or hypersexualized content alters neural pathways. The brain starts craving similar content, much like an addiction. Over time, people begin seeking validation through toxicity, controversies, and extreme behavior, leading to a societal shift in values.
Example:
This is why toxic relationship narratives—filled with manipulation, cheating, and drama—dominate streaming platforms. Once a viewer gets hooked on such themes, the algorithm ensures they keep getting more of the same.
Indian Movies & Web Series: What Are We Consuming?
Many popular Indian films and web series in recent years have actively normalized behaviors that were once considered inappropriate.
- Gehraiyaan (2022): A film that glorifies multiple extramarital affairs, portraying them as a way of finding oneself rather than addressing the real-life consequences of betrayal and broken families.
- Rasbhari (2020): A web series that features a student-teacher romantic subplot, blurring the ethical line between teacher-student relationships.
- Four More Shots Please!: A show that promotes reckless lifestyles, multiple partners, and impulsive behavior without any real consequences.
These narratives were defended under "freedom of expression" and "modern storytelling," but the bigger question remains—how do they influence young minds who consume such content daily?
Social Media Algorithms: Are We Really Choosing What We See?
Social media platforms claim to show content based on user interest, but this is only partially true. The algorithm plays a much bigger role in deciding what you consume.
1. User Feedback vs. Algorithm Control
While your watch history, likes, shares, and comments influence what appears on your feed, this is just a small factor. The major factor is what the social media company wants to promote.
Example:
If you start watching educational or cultural content aggressively, the algorithm will still push semi-sexual or controversial content into your feed.
- But if you do the opposite—watch hypersexual or morally corrupt content—it will not show educational, ethical, or nationalist content in your feed with the same frequency.
This proves that the platform’s own bias shapes user behavior, not just the user’s choices.
2. TikTok: A Case Study in Algorithm Manipulation
China’s Douyin (TikTok) vs. Western TikTok
- In China, Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese version) promotes educational, athletic, and patriotic content. Young Chinese users see science experiments, motivational speeches, and traditional arts.
- In the USA, TikTok promotes vulgar dance trends, hypersexualized influencers, and controversy-driven content while limiting the reach of creators who criticize China or communism.
The result? China’s youth are trained for discipline and productivity, while the US youth are distracted by mindless entertainment.
3. Is Instagram Doing the Same to India?
Now, apply the same strategy to India:
- Why do vulgar reels, unethical relationship content, and meaningless entertainment go viral?
- Why do nationalist, ethical, or intellectually rich content creators struggle with low reach or even shadow bans?
Even if Indian users actively seek quality content, Instagram still prioritizes content that degrades values over content that strengthens them. This isn’t an accident—it’s by design.
The question is: Are Indian social media users being psychologically engineered, just like TikTok did to American users?
Conclusion: Consume Content With Responsibility
The content we consume shapes our thoughts, beliefs, and moral compass. We cannot expect a society to uphold strong values when the majority of its entertainment subtly normalizes betrayal, irresponsibility, and hedonism.
While freedom of expression is important, it should not be an excuse for the manipulation of minds. It is time to choose wisely what we watch, what we share, and what we let influence our thinking.
The question is: Will we take control of our own minds, or will we let algorithms and entertainment industries decide how we think?
✍️Pratham Uvaach
Reference :
1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4522002/
2. https://www.deseret.com/2022/11/24/23467181/difference-between-tik-tok-in-china-and-the-us/?
3. https://youtu.be/0j0xzuh-6rY?si=GefCajkFrPTzOjYR
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