Kanye West believes some social media users are being driven to suicide over lack of engagement from their followers.
“There are people who are committing suicide due to not getting enough likes,” Ye tweeted Saturday (Sept. 22). “Seeking validation in the simulation.”
Ye’s tweet links to a recently published New York Magazine article — titled “Kanye West Is Finally Right About Something: Twitter Should Lose Its Metrics” — that cites comments he made suggesting that social media platforms should shut off comments, likes, retweets, favorites on posted content.
“We should be able to participate in social media without having to show how many followers or likes we have,” West tweeted Sept. 20. “Just like how we can turn off the comments we should be able to turn off the display of followers. This has an intense negative impact on our self worth.”
The rapper and fashion designer also likened the amount of likes someone has on social media to “how much money you have in the bank” or “having to write the size of you d–k on your t shirt.”
Later in the day, he posted artwork of what appears to be heart surgery featuring “like” imagery and the caption “a lot of human beings think this is what love means.”
Earlier this week, Kanye also posted cryptic social media messages about possible new music. On Monday the rapper revealed that “Yhandi” will be the musical guest on the Sept. 29 episode of Saturday Night Live. A second photo showed a CD strikingly similar to the Yeezus album cover, sparking theories that the second installment of the album is on its way.
Adding fuel to the flame, “Yhandi” seems to be a play on Ghandi, just like Yeezus was a play on Jesus.
There are people who are committing suicide due to not getting enough likes. Seeking validation in the simulation. We need a live-streamed meeting with Jack Dorsey Kevin Systrom Mike Krieger Mark Zuckerberg and Evan Spiegal. pic.twitter.com/boAbEDqIyG
— ye (@kanyewest) September 22, 2018
Speaking for myself I personally want to participate in social media with the option of not having to show my followers or likes
— ye (@kanyewest) September 22, 2018
Having your amount of likes on display for the world to see and judge is like showing how much money you have in the bank or having to write the size of your dick on your t shirt
— ye (@kanyewest) September 22, 2018