Not very long ago, becoming a public figure demanded years of discipline, persistence, and exceptional talent. Writers devoted decades to mastering their craft before earning recognition. Journalists built credibility story by story. Musicians, athletes, and actors spent years honing their skills before stepping into the spotlight. Fame was often viewed as the consequence of sustained achievement rather than the objective itself. Today, that equation has fundamentally changed.

A single 30-second TikTok video, an emotionally charged Facebook reel, or a perfectly timed YouTube short can propel an unknown individual into instant celebrity. In the age of algorithms, virality has become one of the fastest routes to visibility, influence, and even financial success. As social media increasingly shapes how young people perceive themselves and the world around them, it is also redefining what they aspire to become.

Recent findings from the United States illustrate the magnitude of this cultural shift. A survey found that 57 percent of Generation Z those born between 1997 and 2012 would like to become social media influencers if given the opportunity, while 53 percent consider it a respectable profession. These figures reveal more than a changing career preference; they reflect a transformation in society’s understanding of success itself.

For previous generations, children were encouraged to become doctors, engineers, teachers, academics or public servants. Professional excellence, educational attainment and social contribution were widely regarded as the benchmarks of achievement. Today, an increasing number of young people dream of becoming YouTubers, TikTok creators, streamers or lifestyle influencers. Success is no longer measured solely by qualifications or professional accomplishments. Followers, engagement rates and viral reach have become equally powerful symbols of social status.

Bangladesh has not remained outside this global transformation. As internet penetration has expanded rapidly over the past decade, social media has become deeply embedded in everyday life. According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the country now has approximately 132.8 million internet subscribers, the overwhelming majority accessing the internet through mobile devices.

This digital expansion has produced a generation that lives simultaneously in two worlds the physical and the virtual. According to a study by the Bangladesh Institute of ICT in Development (BIID), many Bangladeshi adolescents and young adults spend between five and eight hours every day on social media platforms. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Bangladesh has more than 45 million active social media users, most of whom are under the age of thirty.

For many young Bangladeshis, social media is no longer merely a communication platform. It is an identity-building space, a marketplace of attention, and increasingly, a measure of personal worth.

This transformation is not accidental. It is carefully engineered.

Social media platforms are designed around what psychologists describe as the dopamine feedback loop. Every notification, like, comment or share activates the brain’s reward system by releasing dopamine a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. Unlike predictable rewards, these digital rewards arrive unpredictably, making them psychologically even more compelling. Users continue refreshing their feeds because they never know when the next rewarding notification will appear.

Modern recommendation algorithms amplify this process. They constantly learn users’ preferences and present content that maximises engagement. Every additional minute spent scrolling provides platforms with more behavioural data while simultaneously increasing users’ emotional investment. Attention has become the most valuable currency of the digital economy, and algorithms compete relentlessly to capture as much of it as possible.

Equally influential is the phenomenon known as the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Viral trends emerge and disappear within hours. News breaks first on social media. Cultural conversations increasingly unfold online before entering mainstream discourse. For many young people, disconnecting even briefly creates anxiety that they might miss something socially significant. Consequently, checking social media ceases to be a conscious decision and gradually becomes an automatic behavioural habit. Yet social media should not be viewed solely through the lens of addiction.

It has undeniably democratised opportunity. Platforms have enabled countless young entrepreneurs to establish businesses without significant capital. Artists, photographers, musicians, educators and independent journalists have found audiences that traditional media rarely offered. According to the Pew Research Center, 74 percent of teenagers report feeling more connected to their friends through social media, while 63 percent believe these platforms provide valuable opportunities to express creativity.

For countries like Bangladesh, where conventional opportunities often remain limited, digital platforms have become powerful instruments of self-expression, entrepreneurship, and civic participation. Many young creators have transformed online visibility into sustainable careers, proving that social media can indeed function as a legitimate economic ecosystem.

However, the problem begins when visibility becomes more valuable than value itself.

The architecture of virality rewards emotional intensity, novelty and instant engagement rather than depth, nuance or accuracy. Complex discussions rarely outperform sensational content. Thoughtful analysis often receives less attention than outrage, controversy or spectacle. Consequently, many creators feel pressured to produce increasingly dramatic content simply to remain relevant within an algorithm-driven marketplace.

The psychological consequences are becoming increasingly evident. The World Health Organization’s European regional study found that problematic social media use among adolescents increased from 7 percent in 2018 to 11 percent in 2022. Excessive use has been associated with disrupted sleep, declining academic performance, reduced concentration, increased anxiety, and diminished face-to-face social interaction.

Bangladesh is beginning to witness similar concerns. Students frequently report difficulty concentrating on studies because of constant digital interruptions. Deep reading has become increasingly rare in an environment dominated by short-form videos and endless scrolling. Many young people instinctively reach for their phones during moments of boredom, loneliness or discomfort, gradually replacing reflection with distraction.

Perhaps the greatest paradox of the social media era is this: we have never been more connected, yet many people have never felt more alone.

Thousands of followers cannot replace a genuine friendship. Millions of views cannot guarantee emotional wellbeing. Viral recognition often disappears as quickly as it arrives, leaving many creators trapped in an exhausting cycle of continuously chasing relevance.

The challenge, therefore, is not technology itself but our relationship with it.

Social media is one of the most powerful communication tools humanity has ever created. It has democratised information, expanded economic opportunities, amplified marginalised voices, and connected communities across continents. These achievements should not be underestimated.

Yet societies must also cultivate a culture that values substance over visibility, competence over popularity, and long-term contribution over short-term attention. Algorithms should not become the architects of our ambitions.

The next generation deserves to believe that creating something meaningful is ultimately more valuable than simply becoming visible. Virality may capture attention for a day  but character, knowledge, creativity and genuine achievement remain the foundations upon which lasting success is built.

writer is a student of DU.