Obsession with ‘likes’ is real disease – Russia’s Patriarch Kirill
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has criticized the collection and obsession with “likes" on social media networks as a “real disease”, and warned that for some, it has become the only goal in life.
“These days, on social networks, there is a real disease, when mostly young people are ready to do anything, even something dreadful, life-threatening only to get someone to say that this or that photo depicting something is liked,” Patriarch Kirill explained his concern.
“Those people don’t see any other goal in life apart from collecting ‘likes’, and if they don’t get any, it is considered as a personal tragedy,” the Patriarch went on to say.
The Patriarch said that such reaction represents manifestations of vanity, a sin, which “inspires in a person incredible sensitivity to the way others see them.”
Thus, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church added, “the person’s only aim in life becomes getting appraisal from others.”
Patriarch Kirill believes that contemporary culture is to blame for sinful thoughts. “The civilization’s direction is going towards helping people to adopt sinful images,” he warned.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has also spoken out against young people’s obsession with digital media.
Last April, the pontiff said that “happiness has no price", adding that it’s “not an app that you can download on your phones, nor will the latest update bring you freedom and grandeur in love.”
