I get it. We think differently. Well, there is some science for that claim, too. I gather from my 9th-grade bio class that the human brain takes some time to fully develop. Sorry guys, it is true that men mature more slowly than women—cognitively speaking. I can expect that my brain will fully develop when I am about 20 or so. In the meantime, we fortunately have fully functioning noodles that allow us to meet the rigors of Loomis, although I sometimes wonder. 

 

Our pre-adult minds do have some interesting features that can explain those sometimes moments. It is no wonder that generals like young recruits for war or that insurance premiums are higher for teenagers. To answer the sometimes question, we must go back to bio class. Our prefrontal cortex processes certain higher, judgment-like functions and is last to fully develop. Without sounding too much like Bill Nye the Science Guy, it essentially means other parts of our brains are working as expected, but the judgment component is still under construction. Rather than traffic cones and detours, however, our thoughts just barrel along unfinished dirt roads, in spite of the synaptic chicane past our amygdala toward our reward! 

 

The problem, or advantage if you plan on starring in the next installment of Jackass, is brain chemistry—more specifically the feel-good neurotransmitter of dopamine. It increases arousal, heightens curiosity, and drives exploration of ideas and information. So, we are pumped up with the happy substance while the paint is still wet on the executive functions of our brain. It is like building a fast car and not worrying about the brakes. Bottom line, we are more inclined to undertake rewarding behavior without calculating the risk. We are just wired that way. 

 

What does this have to do with TikTok, you ask? Think of the thrill you get as your “likes” tick up with anonymous praise. Grown-up brains are incapable of garnering the same dopamine rush that comes with mindlessly swiping through Instagram in anticipation of the next goofy cat video. Their oh-so-mature executive function is just wired that way. Only we can truly enjoy the dopaminergic reward loop played out endlessly on our iPhone. 

 

Another interesting factoid is that, unlike a computer, your brain does not really record things as they are. It is more like a hazy GPS of past trips used to navigate your future. This predictive facility is cognitive priming. When you are faced with something—let us say a dog wagging its tail—your response can be instantly decided based on memory. Data primed in your implicit memory unconsciously encourages you to pat the dog’s head. “Good boy.” 

 

However, the euphoria of constant Lana Del Rey cult videos has a dark side. With priming, we have a tendency to believe information, even if demonstrably false, after repeated exposure. We spend immense time viewing social media with some Googlely Zuckerbergian algorithm deciding what we see based on what it thinks we saw so we see what it thinks we will watch. Get it? It is about keeping us engaged as long as possible and trapping us into that dopaminergic reward loop. 

 

Now consider your goofy cat video reward loop when suddenly a banal YouTube video of reclusive cat ladies creeps in. You watch. The algorithm feeds you increasingly extreme content, from videos of reclusive ladies to pejorative content about women to straight-up misogynistic views. Loop shift now rewards fringe views on gender. Repetition creates the illusion of truth even where clearly false. 

 

A pandemic erupts into our perfectly imbalanced lives, and we are quarantined. This not only denies us normal social interaction, where centuries of civilization have helped blunt the rough edges of our teen rebellion, but also draws everyone into the isolated yet deceptively “social” media. We are locked up in our rooms like supermax cons with nothing better to do than cruise the internet, pumped up on happy brain juice and primed to believe whatever drivel gets pushed onto our feed. Safe travels! 

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We must navigate social media like a dangerous mountain road in winter, scenic but deadly. Go a little slower than you would like—maybe watch a few episodes of Ice Road Truckers to get into the right frame of mind. Read the signs: strangers lurking, creepy language, online road rage, troll booth ahead. No drag racing. Someone always has a bigger motor. Do not play chicken, even if virtual. Of course, no teen wants to cruise social media like a soccer mom in a beige minivan but heed the Boss’ potent warning for those who get drawn to the dark side—the road was filled with broken glass and gasoline. It did not end well.