Social Media Is For Idiots
And you know what? I kind of love it.
I am nosy. This culture where everyone lives on their social media, sharing bits of their lives through photos, statuses, sharing things etc. feeds this curiosity. I have people on Facebook (as I’m sure we all do) that are there purely to just see what they ended up doing with themselves. People I don’t talk to now, and didn’t really when I was in school or wherever we met. Then there are the people who I’m very close to, family and friends, who live far away because I went to a university 220 miles away from my hometown. It’s these people who post regularly on social media that keep me happy, I can comment on their lives as though we are next door and this wouldn’t be possible without the use of social media, so it’s hard to hate. Tagging your friends in silly posts, laughing at your mum trying to use snapchat, keeping up with your old schoolmates, keeping tabs on your crush, all easy due to the use of social media and its prominence in our everyday lives. Photo sharing sites like Snapchat and Instagram, are also a personal favourite as they offer unique ways you can communicate through them, or just an easy way to share a cute selfie!
I do have an issue with social media though. I am painfully aware of the ‘fake-ness’ of the world online, people only put their best photos, their good news, and the best ‘version’ of themselves for others to see. I am also guilty of this, my selfies are curated from an album of various poses and filters, and edited on Instagram and tested through several people before I want it as my profile picture or something of that nature. However, this is a big issue today. Nothing we see of those we have little real life, face to face contact with, is real. And there are people who are valuing themselves on the comments, likes, and shares they receive on social media. They need the validation online that they look good or they need to let everyone in the world know every minute of their lives, and this is not a healthy way to think. To become obsessed with social media attention rather than seeking out friends in the real world for a coffee or a catch up.
So while I feel mean calling these people idiots, it is important to be aware that what you’re viewing isn’t an accurate representation of them as a whole person, we all have flaws, we all have issues and they don’t need to be plastered on a virtual wall for the world to view. I love social media and the many uses and opportunities that can arise from it, from new friends to sharing life updates, there should be a wariness and an effort to teach people that it’s not a complete picture. The best thing to do is send a message through social media and get together with people, not just live behind that screen.
