The One Dislike That Matters
Why Likes Are a Lie
We've been trained to treat feedback like currency, to measure our worth in hearts and thumbs. But what if the one thing that finally wakes us up... is a dislike?
You know this story already: post, like, refresh, feel better—or worse.
But here’s the twist you don’t always hear:
In 2019, one major photo-sharing app tested removing likes. In several countries, likes disappeared from public view. They said it was to "reduce pressure." A kind gesture? Not quite. What happened next was revealing.
Influencers panicked. Brands paused sponsorships. Engagement dropped. People weren’t sure how to post without the instant scoreboard. Some even said it made them feel invisible.
Let that sink in: people felt invisible without a number attached to their face.
We built entire identities on something so fragile, so algorithmically controlled, that when it was briefly removed, we lost ourselves.
Likes are Just Programming
It’s not just influencers. Regular people, like your friends, maybe even you, admitted to deleting photos that didn’t get “enough” likes. Not because the photo was bad. Not because it didn’t matter. But because it didn’t perform.
You ever delete a post that felt true, just because the room was too quiet? That’s the grip we’re in. And here’s what’s worse:
The people behind these platforms never needed you to feel good. They needed you to need them.
When a top social feed gave the illusion of "helping" your mental health by hiding likes, they didn’t change the algorithm. They just removed your scoreboard. But the machine still ran underneath—deciding who gets seen, who gets buried, and who keeps refreshing their screen at 2 a.m. wondering what went wrong.
The Punch?
They already know likes are toxic. But they also know you'll keep posting.
They know it’s the modern-day slot machine. You don’t chase because it’s fun—you chase because you almost won last time. You almost felt loved. Almost seen.
And if that’s not addiction, what is?
Break the Spell
Forget deleting low-like posts. Start deleting the mental habit that says your value is measurable. Post what’s real, not what’s rewarded. Reach out to people off-platform. Text them. Talk to them. Make eye contact, not content.
And remember:
In a sea of hearts and thumbs, the most honest signal might be that one quiet “dislike” whispering,
“Hey. Maybe look a little closer.”