Pics or it didn’t happen?
“Kids today. They have no sense of shame. They have no sense of privacy. They are show-offs, fame whores, pornographic little loons who post their diaries, their phone numbers, their stupid poetry- for God’s sake, their dirty photos- online.”
Although this quote taken from the book It’s Complicated, by Danah Boyd is a little extreme, it addresses a very real and very serious issue with teen usage of social media today.
Before I present my questions, I want to take a second to acknowledge that what I am about to say is not true across the board. Many teens use social media safely and in a positive way. Unfortunately, I feel that these teens are not the majority. My first set of questions is more structured, while my second set is more of an angry rant, sorry.
Why do so many teens feel the need to publish every aspect of their private lives? Why must a picture be taken at every new location and every event? Does the event still happen if there is not a picture posted on social media to prove it?
Why do you feel the need to take out your phone and text when you are in an uncomfortable situation? Why do you put your phone on the table when you eat? Why is looking at the beautiful view in front of you not enough, why must you take a picture of it? Why do you Snapchat the cute puppy and not sit down and play with it? Why do you look at a screen for hours and only talk with someone face to face for minutes? Is putting on headphones to listen to music more important than hearing the sounds of people talking? Why do you post your new cell phone number on Facebook, but act shocked when a boy asks you for it at a party? Why is it o.k. to post a picture of you passed out at a party, but act appalled when a potential employer finds it? Where do you draw the line? Why do you think you are entitled to privacy, when you publish your life for the world to see?
