The social media psychosis
Like most in my generation who grew up during the genesis of online social connectivity, I have had to see the “life updates” of friends, family, and acquaintances on sites like Twitter and Facebook.
This used to be an infrequent occurrence; the occasional phone call, the annual birthday or Christmas card. Now, these updates are not just frequent, their constant. Short of abandoning my phone and computer completely, I cannot go a day without being introduced to a new moment in someone else’s life.
Many people find this great and, in many ways, it is. However, I can’t help but feel this has been more debilitating than liberating. It has caused a disease of sorts that causes depression and erratic behavior. Sounds a little dramatic, right? Let me explain…
The Disease
Social media is everywhere. It’s one of the few non-biological things I do on a daily basis.
Because of this I am always exposing myself to the “life updates” of not just friends and family but of people I have no reason to otherwise be exposed to; co-workers, parents of friends, that one kid that lived down the hall from me my sophomore year of college.
This is how it starts, how it becomes rampant. If someone asks to be my “friend” or to “follow me”, I accept it almost instinctively.
From there, things slowly begin to deteriorate. As you sit on your computer in your dimly lit living room on a Wednesday night, you begin to peruse through status updates and pictures; people cooking dinner with their significant other, or out drinking with friends, or playing in band, or in law school, or in exotic locations.
Everyone is doing something fun, rewarding, or unique…and you’re not. It’s a bit depressing. All of sudden these people that previously meant nothing to you are now people you aspire to be; travelers, scholars, party-goers, trendsetters.
You feel like these people are moving past you and getting more out of life. It’s a bit frustrating. Pretty soon you feel this need bubble up inside you to do these things too (hell, everyone else is doing something). Before you know, you’re now longer living your life, you’re living the life you think everyone else is living.
The Cure
Now, the simple answer here is to just stopping paying attention to these updates. However, as anyone on social media knows, that is not easy nor is it practical. These updates, in the right context and moderation, are a great opportunity to keep up with important people in your life and share your own experiences.
The real cure is a healthy dose of perspective and self-awareness.
Facebook is meant to show the best things a person does. Of course, everyone looks interesting. There’s absolutely no context. You have no idea of what is truly going on in a person’s world; the struggles, anxieties and overall normalities of their life.
Having perspective and self-awareness enables you to remember what social media is often used as: a tool to glorify your life.
So the next time you see someone’s post, be happy for them. At the same time, though, take it with a grain of salt. Be aware of the nature of social media and what it is meant for. Most of all, do what makes you happy, not what it looks like makes other people happy.
