Between the mirror and the screen (by Alberto Moreno)

What this video is about

In this video, Alberto Moreno reflects on how screens, social media and other technologies are influencing the way we relate to one another and build our identity. He starts from the widespread feeling that we live more exposed and less present, and draws on the ideas of authors such as Marino Pérez about new forms of relationship that are faster and more controllable. However, he warns against oversimplification: not every selfie is narcissism, nor does every digital relationship mean isolation, and similar behaviours can respond to very different needs.

The video proposes looking at the psychological place these behaviours occupy. Sharing an image to express a moment is not the same as doing so out of a need for approval, since self-esteem that leans heavily on others’ gaze can make us more vulnerable to comparison. He also notes that many studies focus on symptoms such as anxiety or attention problems, and that it is worth also looking at how people build their identity. He applies the same logic to pleasure devices and to conversations with artificial intelligence.

The conclusion is to avoid both alarmism and indifference: we are in a period of transition, and what helps is developing psychological judgement to notice when a behaviour is helping us and when it starts to constrain us.

Topics: social media, identity, self-esteem, technology, external validation