Online…_
The year 2004 was the year when all of our lives changed drastically unknowingly. Nobody really had forseen what was about to happen to human civilization.
Yesterday was February 4.
And yesterday, twelve years ago on February 4, 2004, Facebook was officially launched.
Mark Zuckerberg might not have been the pioneer of social media, but he definitely is accounted for flipping the page of our history and starting the new chapter of our digital era.
I think Facebook was meant for good fun at first — for men and women to connect, and for old friends to reconnect. Facebook was an instant hit, and began its expansion into the rest of the world and every aspects of our lives.
But somehow, the growth and changes triggered depression and social anxiety in the users. And now, Facebook somehow is deemed as an unhealthy obsession that people should consume only in limited doses.
Maybe it is the natural course of technological revolution, or baleful manipulation by the marketing and PR people who twisted the usage of social media into something that hurts the soul. Whatever it is, Facebook and the alike social media platforms are officially connected to unhappiness.
Image crafting has become an emerging social issue that affects people of all ages, but especially, the Millennial youngsters. With all the Friends, Likes and Comments, you can instantly feel like a billion buck. But if your number is lower than others on Facebook, it can immediately destruct your self-esteem. Facebookers meticulously build an empire of self with photos, statuses, shared links…
Facebook has become a platform where people showoff their social statuses. It also became a chance for social redemption to create a new online identity — the better, cooler, more impressive and more glamorous version of our offline selves.
People live their life nowadays for the sake of up keeping their online identity. I am not accusing people of creating a false identity, but that urge to create a “chilling, cool, fun” persona. Online people feel that it is only socially acceptable to share happy, smiling and laughing moments of their lives. And any posts pertaining to sad and anger, people just find it overwhelming to even exist.
Senses of self-worth, life satisfaction and happiness are built and destroyed by the superiority and inferiority of the online identity. Jealousies and harsh self-criticisms developed from comparisons with other people’s appearances and life. Food porn, vlogs and fashion blogs are all socially acceptable ways of showcasing oneself. Often the most succesful ones with the most attention and appreciation display a certain lifestyle. That luxurious, pleasurable and satisfactory lifethat that most people cannot afford or have access to. People pine for that lifestyle with jealousy and admiration, and trending the recent emergence of #goals.
The discrepancy between online and offline identity, life expectation and reality, self and others, and self and society. The societal pressure that one experiences from social media leads to the immense amount of unhappiness.
Mark Zuckerberg probably had no idea the social changes he created and imposed on our society. The way we are addicted and obsessed with the online empire he put together for pure fun.
And what’s next?
Note: I didn’t mean to solely target Facebook, but with the volume of users and longevity of its existence and success, I thought it would be the most relatable platform for readers.