The circle encompasses the epitome of the social media obsession. By requiring its employees to share everything about themselves and their lives online through different forms of online media and communication, they strive to create what they feel will be the most efficient society. Thus, a theme develops throughout the book: the need to be known through social media. The circle continuously makes it known that more is always better (more participation, more followers, more pictures). The reason for this ‘neediness’ presented both in the text and in reality is caused by the need for validation which is fulfilled through different forms of technology.
The Circle, like in reality, presents numerous examples of how society has become obsessed with what other people think about them, especially behind a screen. In both situations, the number of likes, comments, or followers someone has on social media either positively or negatively impacts their self-esteem. People feel the need to be seen as popular and perfect when in reality they could appear completely different than how they present themselves. 97% of voters saw Mae as awesome, and while this is nearly perfect, Mae obsesses over the lost 3% and begins to hate the mere 400 people who didn’t give her a smiley face. (Eggars 408). Similarly, in this generation, teenagers obsess over which of their followers like their instagram post – and get upset over the people who follow them, yet didn’t like it. It is perfectly likely that Mae has never met the people in the 3%, yet strives to appeal to them through the circle’s social media. Each person needs the validation of a high number and thus the neediness of social media is constantly increasing.
Another evident cause for this “neediness” is the belief that participation in social media defines a person’s likability and popularity. After being taught about her “PartiRank” and told how hers was significantly low, Mae became obsessed with participating in surveys, events, emails, etc. to raise her PartiRank above other employees. In the same sense, it has become the norm that as we gain more followers on apps like Instagram or Twitter, we must post more and more to appeal to our followers – and those who don’t post ‘disappear’ behind the people who are most present. By participating in these forms of social media, people begin to get validation from their followers, which again causes them to need to use media continuously. Mae “wants to be seen” and believes that “most people do, and would trade everything they know to be seen and acknowledged” (490). In a world of billions of people or a company of thousands, social media is everyone’s way of voicing themselves; giving them “hope of being seen, or heard, even for a moment” (490). Being heard or seen is everyone’s validation that they actually exist, but they need social media to do so.
The ‘neediness’ of social media often has negative consequences such as when Mae tries tracking Mercer (leading to his suicide) or loses the relationships she has with her family because of her obsession with being the face of the circle. Social media provides an outlet for society to create a fake self in which they can try to get a ‘high rating,’ seeking validation from followers.
You bring up a great point about how social media creates this fake version of someone. I would even go so far as to say that that social media fuels the need to create a fake self and keep up with that persona. We all want to look our best and be recognized through our social media because we like the person we have created online. Mae perfectly exemplifies this when she thinks about how her transparency has made her a better person because she is always connected virtually and people are monitoring her every move. I don’t think Mae is a better person, she is more of a persona created by the opinions of millions of others. Your post reveals the causes that lead to so much neediness for recognition and attention that you can almost become someone else entirely. You clearly show how Mae has been brainwashed by this need when she assumes everyone else would love to be watched and have the attention that she has. I know that I have been subject to situations where I think I should take pictures because they would look good on my Instagram, or I don’t post genuine ones because someone doesn’t like the way they look in it, it doesn’t match their online profile. You mentioned how Mae is upset by her rating of 97, which I think shows this unreasonable strive for perfection, because when we rely on numbers for all other aspects of social media we sometimes forget that they shouldn’t define us.