The Cruelty of Social Media Is Destroying Our Youth. Analysis of the Netflix series “Adolescence”

In the digital whirlwind of social media, humanity seems to be regressing to its natural state—stripped of the norms and values that society has built over centuries to contain our primal impulses. What should be a space for interaction and communication has turned into a stage where violence comes to life—especially during adolescence, when emotional vulnerability intertwines with the harshness of social judgment.

The ideal of beauty imposed by society (the halo effect) has created unbearable pressure for young people who, unable to fit into the unreachable standards promoted online, become trapped in a cycle of insecurity and despair. In this hostile environment, social bullying becomes a tool of exclusion that isolates them and pushes them toward a visceral, primitive response: violence. It is an instinctive act of defense—a form of survival in the face of humiliation and rejection felt in every hurtful comment, every comparative image, every viral mockery shared before thousands of anonymous eyes.

Historically, humankind built societies to shape and refine its wildest impulses. Reason and morality arose as barriers against our inherent brutality, becoming mechanisms of control to ensure coexistence. However, social media has begun to dismantle these limits, returning the individual to a kind of primitive state where rationality gives way to instinct and morality dissolves into the impunity of anonymity. Mockery and aggression find refuge in the absence of immediate consequences, creating fertile ground for symbolic violence to evolve into physical or psychological harm.

Adolescents, in the process of building their identities, face a virtual world where emotions are manipulated and self-esteem is trampled without mercy. Feelings of inferiority, inadequacy, and helplessness foster deep resentment that often manifests in acts of violence—either against others or themselves. Morality weakens when empathy is lost, when external validation becomes the only source of self-worth, and when public humiliation becomes an accepted norm within the digital ecosystem.

The challenge for contemporary society is immense. A reconstruction of the moral and ethical fabric of the digital sphere is urgently needed—education that strengthens young people’s emotional resilience and mechanisms that curb the dehumanization hiding behind the screen. Without swift action, the return to barbarism will be irreversible, and social media will remain the battlefield where violence triumphs over reason and humanity loses its essence in an ocean of indifference and cruelty.

Terms and Meanings in the Series “Adolescence”

The digital language of teenagers incorporates emojis and concepts that often escape adult understanding. Throughout the series, various terms and symbols appear with specific meanings within youth digital culture.

Key Terms
Incel: Acronym for involuntary celibate. Refers to men who perceive themselves as socially or physically inadequate to form romantic or sexual relationships. This subculture is characterized by misogynistic discourse and resentment toward women and men they consider attractive or successful.

Red Pill: Inspired by The Matrix, it symbolizes the supposed “awakening” to hidden truths—such as the belief that feminism dominates society. In the series, it is used as an emoji to identify misogynistic ideologies or people associated with the “manosphere.”

Manosphere (or Androsphere): Virtual spaces where communities share anti-feminist discourse and promote male supremacy, marked by rejection of feminism and nostalgia for traditional male privileges.

Chad and Stacy: In incel slang, these represent unattainable ideals. “Chad” is the sexually successful, attractive man; “Stacy” is the idealized, desirable woman.

PUA (Pick-Up Artist): Refers to men who seek to improve their appearance and social skills to increase their “sexual market value” and become more attractive.

80/20 Rule: A belief within the manosphere that 80% of women are attracted only to the top 20% of men considered “desirable.”

Emojis and Their Meanings in the Series
Red heart: Love
Blue heart: Sexual desire
Yellow heart: Mutual interest
Pink heart: Attraction without sexual desire
Red pill / Red bean: Symbolize incel or misogynistic ideologies
Cherries, eggplant, banana, kiwi: Sexual connotations related to reproductive organs