Social media has become such a huge part of lives, especially over the last decade. Not only do we have access to social networking sites through our laptop and computer screens, no matter where we are or who we are with. Okay, so MAYBE we don’t always have enough signal and data, but you catch my drift - social media and public networking have officially taken over our lives.
Don't get me wrong, it has its perks. For instance, if I need (or want) to discuss an important matter with a friend, wish them a happy birthday, confirm plans or check-up on a loved one, I can do so with ease. The things we can do are pretty darn brilliant if you think about it. However, they're not always great...
Okay. So perhaps describing social media as 'awful' is taking it a little too far. In reality, what it offers is brilliant and we unknowingly take it for granted every day. For generation X, we entered our teenage years as we simultaneously devolved into the world of social media. We were impressionable. Really, it’s all we’ve ever known, and frankly, I don't think we can imagine a life without it.
Basically, it ISN'T 'awful', but it CAN be dangerous.
When we don't acknowledge its destructive presence, social media can negatively influence our views, alter our morals and brainwash our minds. It can play a huge part in our individual growth if we let it.
It’s not a problem for everyone, but it is for some.
When we're not relying on Facebook Messenger to communicate (rather than having a face-to-face interaction), we're scrolling endlessly through our timeline or feed, prying on others. The funny thing is, the lives people portray online are often staged or false. Now, I'm not saying everyone stages their own desired life online, BUT, we DO have a tendency to post photos that positively portray ourselves and our lives. More often than not, anyway.
The worst part is the one-sided jealousy-ridden relationships that we can develop. Whether you're examining a photo of a friend and their partner looking loved up or a beautiful celebrity taking a selfie, it can become incredibly easy to question your own life, what you have and your ideals, filling you with envy, sadness and anxiety. For some, shaking off such negative feelings can be a breeze, but for others, it's not that simple.
We start wanting what we don't have. In comparison to others, our own life starts to seem inadequate. But the thing is, someone's Instagram feed or Facebook page does not always accurately represent them. A photo takes less than a second to capture and it takes less than a minute or so to write a caption. So, when you think about it, the photos or videos you see online only represent a fragment of someone's day and life; not every moment of everyone's day is coated in sugar and filled with laughter, happiness and love. We're only human.
Personally, I find social media to be a bit of a whirlwind. And as a nineteen-year-old female who runs her own blog and loves posting on Instagram, I also feel like a bit of a hypocrite...
I'm not going to lie, I used to feel an incredible amount of pressure to look and be a certain way online, you know, to fit a certain 'ideal'. The last thing I wanted was to stand out from the crowd as a victim of unwanted attention. Hence, I chose to only post a photo if I looked 'good' - my eye bags had to be invisible, as did the rest of my body. I'm not looking for sympathy by admitting this, but, for me, social media was a place that heightened my existing anxiety and created new worries. I didn’t feel safe.
Now, I don't give a damn what anybody thinks about my online presence nor what I post, and neither should you. For me, it's a little bit of fun! What’s the harm in that? Finding motivational influencers with similar interests and listening to what they have to say has helped my anxiety surrounding social media. I guess, it made me feel less alone.
My Instagram and this newly found blog allows me to use my creativity whilst growing as an individual. It might sound a little ridiculous, and I get that, but I can't help that I enjoy using social media as a tool for education and growth - by not caring what others think, I'm able to get rid of a lot of my anxieties and feel less trapped. But it's not just self-growth, I'm also learning about others, what they want to see, photography, and writing for different audiences. Emphasis on 'learning', okay!
So yes, I feel like the hypocrite of all hypocrites...
I may have fallen down social media's destructive pit of doom, but that was in the past.
Instead of questioning the adequacy of my life when I scroll down a social media platform, I put my phone down and remember all the positive aspects of my life. Or, I scroll through my Instagram feed. Not narcissistically, but because I use Instagram as a visual and personal diary to reinforce happy memories...even if it looks like a bad modelling portfolio!
And while technology was developed to make us more connected it has also led to the unfathomable = online bullying. An insensitive comment or a mean message might seem funny and a way to feel a sense of hierarchy but it can be a LOT for people to shake off. More so, cyberbullying can also be the catalyst for mental health disorders and psychological effects, some of which can change lives forever. It’s not all fun and games. Just because there’s a screen to hide behind, it doesn’t make any form of cyberbullying acceptable.
But anyway. Social media doesn't have to be dangerous. It's about how you use it and perceive it.
To those who love Instagram like me, good for you! Don't feel embarrassed. To those who don't, good for you too - I respect that other aspects of life are more important or 'fun' for you. And to those who use social media as a platform to promote awareness on different social issues that affect us all, much love goes out to you.
So here’s my parting gift for those who care. When you have finished reading this, put down the phone/turn off the computer. Take a look at those around you and think about the ones you love. Engage, physically and verbally, not electronically. Step outside. Take a walk, stop and appreciate the beauty of your surroundings...the grass between your toes, the warmth of the sun on your back, the soulful sound of birds singing. Appreciate life for what it is and don’t post that feeling anywhere. Then, ask yourself how that feels in comparison to any of the emotions you've felt from social media.
What you see might be real, but is it?
