I kind of get the feeling that the need for approval is actually some kind evolutionary development. Our need for approval might lend to our learning how to interact in society. Maybe the same need for approval that is becoming a fault due to social media helps us in existing in groups.

I myself sometimes feel the negative emotions when some post doesn't seem to be acknowledged on some platform. Though, I don't really seem to be as effected by the positive emotions as others. I actually get more annoyed by the resulting alerts than I get any sort of positive emotion from having some post recognized.

But...I was never really much for trying to get the approval of large groups of people.

Perhaps it's part of what causes certain people to try to become the popular ones. It's not like it's impossible for most people to become popular. They just have to vary their behavior just a little bit. But they don't really feel like it's worth the effort to try to be popular.

HAHA! All the rejects in school are now at an advantage with social media! They don't have to appeal for everyone's approval. Meanwhile, the ones that were the popular kids are at extreme risk from social media and their likes and such.

Even being extremely empathetic, I have trouble feeling any empathy for the popular kids in school. Which is really kinda ironic, since I even feel empathy for murderers. Not sociopaths and psychopaths though really. So maybe that's the different.