Is it possible this exponential leap in the sheer number of people we can (or are almost forced to) compare ourselves because of the internet corresponds directly to the hit our self-esteem takes?
First, people differentiate between the online world and the meatspace world. If I am the prettiest girl at school, I may be aware that Kim Kardashian's butt almost broke the internet and I (hopefully) realize that my butt does not have the same capabilities, but I am still the prettiest girl at my school. "Population" is different and here the relevant metric is closeness to you. Comparing yourself to people you meet every day is rather different from comparing yourself to pop star pictures on a screen.
Second, this whole self-esteem thing is driven by System 1 and System 1 is pretty bad at large numbers. In fact, I suspect that that System 1 counts like this: one, two, three, Miller's number, ~12, ~30, Dunbar's number, many (see e.g. this). In this progression the jump from 1 million to 10 million doesn't happen -- both are "many".
First, people differentiate between the online world and the meatspace world.
Of course. But I'm not sure they are able to fully separate the two. Internet has some effect, right?
If I am the prettiest girl at school, I may be aware that Kim Kardashian's butt almost broke the internet and I (hopefully) realize that my butt does not have the same capabilities, but I am still the prettiest girl at my school.
True. And people will always enjoy benefits from being the biggest fish in their particular pond, whatever population defines that.
..."Populati
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