Why Aristotle Would Challenge Today's Social Media Culture.

More than 2,300 years ago, Aristotle created an ethical system which was neither deontological nor consequentialist, but focused on the character instead. In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle claimed that human beings strive to achieve their eudaimonia which is usually translated into either "human flourishing" or "living well". According to Aristotle, a good life is a product of the constant exercise of virtues, reason, and meaningful relationships. Never having seen such phenomena as smartphone and social networks, Aristotle still had a lot of interesting things to say about the modern digital society.

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The foundation of the philosophical system of Aristotle rests on the idea that habit creates the character. He famously claimed that people become just when they act justly and people become courageous when they act bravely. The problem is that social networks create the habits which are based on instant gratification rather than reflection. Mindlessly scrolling the pages of Facebook, looking for the approval of other people, and constantly checking for the messages may make the user develop an undesirable character.

Additionally, the notion of the Golden Mean was brought forward by Aristotle as well. It represents an attempt to establish that virtue is always between the extremes. For instance, courage is somewhere between recklessness and fearfulness; generosity is found between wastefulness and miserliness. This approach may be used with regard to social media usage, when neither total abstinence from using such services nor constant indulgence is considered appropriate, as the right thing would be to make use of them moderately and wisely in order not to let technology get the upper hand.

Another important issue that Aristotle touched upon was friendship. In his works, he described different types of this phenomenon: friendships of pleasure, utility and virtue; in the latter case, friendship is considered superior to others, as it presupposes mutual esteem and respect, which is the basis of virtuous life. Nowadays, people can easily gain hundreds and even thousands of followers on social media; however, not all of these contacts will be genuine ones. Aristotle might raise a question about their real nature and their significance for the human happiness.

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A third issue Aristotle could highlight relates to cultivating phronesis or practical wisdom. Such practical wisdom is a tool allowing people to use their sense of reasoning and experience in order to make good judgments when dealing with difficult situations. However, the fast pace associated with social media does not favor this virtue since it leads people to react instantly without having enough time to reflect on the possible consequences.

It was Aristotle's belief that humans are inherently social and political animals living in communities. Even though social media managed to connect people all over the world, provided new ways to learn things, fight for certain issues, and cooperate, there are several issues it created. First of all, there is a lot of misinformation and people tend to act emotionally in such cases which, as stated above, contradicts the idea of Aristotle. Second, social algorithms are focused on rewarding those users whose posts provoke people's emotions.

In terms of social media per, the philosopher does not necessarily dismiss the entire platform. The teachings of Aristotle do not involve absolute rejection of means but rather stress their appropriate usage as part of leading a virtuous life. Social media can serve to disseminate information, improve connections, engage in philanthropy and create places of discussion as long as it is done correctly. Ethical issue consists in not the existence of such services, but the ability to make people wiser, more sympathetic and disciplined.

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Today's world evaluates personal success through indicators such as number of followers, likes and shares. Nevertheless, Aristotle is going to argue that real success should not be judged only through external factors. Personal development is characterized by personal virtues, good relationships, and striving towards perfection according to reason. Pleasant feeling of being acknowledged can be nice, but it cannot become a basis of self-respect.

Ultimately, the philosophy of Aristotle teaches the timeless lesson that technology is meant to serve, and not rule. Social media is indeed a very powerful technology, but then just like other technologies, its usefulness will be determined by the way it is utilized. By embracing moderation, nurturing true friendships, employing practical wisdom and concentrating more on character than fame, people can use social media without compromising their virtues.

Cc; @josepha, @ninapenda and @dove11

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