So I Guess We’re All Attention — Wh*res… #WOKE
“You spend all your time on your phone!” — pretty much every mom ever (including mine). As much as we all probably hate to admit, they’re right. Although we may not feel like it, it is undeniable that social media has become a vital part of the lives of many today. With the way things are, it wouldn’t be that far of a stretch to say that most of us act as if our phones are glued to our hands. Not even letting it sit in our pockets, but clenching it in our palms at every second. *Guilty* By having a large network of close friends and family posting, sharing and tweeting every last detail of their lives, it makes it seem natural. We seem to forget that we give a bit of ourselves with every post, Instagram and tweet. But what implications does giving ourselves to these platforms have on our lives and perception of ourselves?
In theory, the whole practice of social media seems redundant. You put so much of yourself into your posts, profile, and content, but for what in return? Likes? I guess that’s correct… You give yourself to social media in exchange for likes. My initial question was what do these likes mean? In a simple answer, likes are validation. Likes, engagement, and attention are just a few of the perks that come along with the trade. But what’s the big deal? Everyone does things that give them validation right?
It’s clear that social media isn’t the first medium to give young, impressionable people, an idea of what to be. People have been following trends and styles from magazines, television and other sources for years. However, scrolling and journeying into an online world with its own measures of success, beauty and fulfillment can seriously alter the way we view ourselves and act. This can already be seen in the ways that online trends and ideals are simulated in real life, mostly by younger demographics, as they are the closest and most malleable group that is affected by social media. I feel that the big issue with social media is that unlike other mediums such as magazines and television, social media allows your validation to be quantified via the number of likes and followers one has. Meaning the more likes you have, the better you feel and vice versa.
In this light, I would say that as social media is a relatively new addition to our lives, the long term implications have yet to be seen but can be a bit alarming. This social media definition of value and fulfillment being linked to a number of followers, likes, and popularity can be detrimental in the long run. By associating value with an online presence, I feel like this can lead to a new generation, raised on this belief and will in return, prioritize popularity, greed, and power as indications of self-worth instead of things that should matter such as kindness, respect, and compassion.
Overall, although social media is used to promote great things such as body positivity, political awareness, equality among races, sexes and gender, it can also be a toxic community for young impressionable minds. By filling the main places these people go to with unrealistic body, styling, and social expectations, we’re preparing them to build self-hatred in an attempt to fit into this online culture and impress the people around them At the end of the day, not everyone can be a baddie, and that’s okay. I feel like there should be more influencers promoting realistic lifestyles and constantly reassuring the fact that value does not come with increased engagement and followers/likes, but how you view yourself and treat others; in an attempt to build a world where social media metrics does not diminish our self-worth.
