What do you think? Is social media controlling our minds, our lives, our relationships?
Note: My opinions might clash with other people who have similar opinions as mine.
When social media first started, it was merely a platform for us to connect with each other, make new friends on the internet, and to share our interests. However, recently I noticed a change. It is no longer used to interact with people, but rather to impress people. People yearn for more likes, comments or shares. They don't do it for themselves anymore. I know this because I've been there. I used to wonder how does one get so many likes for their pictures? The likes don't mean anything actually. For example, on instagram, I've encounterede some people who like your picture just so you could like theirs back. And if you don't like their picture, they won't like yours anymore. I'm serious. It's absurd, and absolutely hilarious as well.
I think instagram is the social platform which a lot people use to impress others. When I click the "Explore" button, I see a high amount of super pretty pictures, of which I'm impressed of course! I myself would love a nice feed with high quality pictures too. But it all depends on how much you would do to get the "perfect picture". Some go to crazy extents of taking multiple shots until the food runs cold, or until their photographer's patience has run low. Sure, we all have that tiny part of ourselves that likes to "show off", but it depends on how much that tiny part has control of us.
Which brings me to the title, is social media REALLY controlling us?
Or is it just our ignorant selves blaming the social media on our own selfish doing. Humans tend to unconsciously do that, you know; blaming everything else but themselves. Social media is not the source of all these. WE chose to be like this. Do you see social media FORCING you to post ONLY pretty pictures? Did they say that they will only allow nice pictures to be posted online? See what I mean? Humans are the ones behind this and yet people are blaming it on social media. Granted, social media is only a small part of our lives - well, unless you choose to make social media your whole life, now THAT is suicide.
I'm sure all of you have heard about Essena O' Neill, the girl who "quit" social media because she thinks social media is fake and has also gone viral because of her video and website.
Note: My opinions might clash with other people who have similar opinions as mine.
When social media first started, it was merely a platform for us to connect with each other, make new friends on the internet, and to share our interests. However, recently I noticed a change. It is no longer used to interact with people, but rather to impress people. People yearn for more likes, comments or shares. They don't do it for themselves anymore. I know this because I've been there. I used to wonder how does one get so many likes for their pictures? The likes don't mean anything actually. For example, on instagram, I've encounterede some people who like your picture just so you could like theirs back. And if you don't like their picture, they won't like yours anymore. I'm serious. It's absurd, and absolutely hilarious as well.
I think instagram is the social platform which a lot people use to impress others. When I click the "Explore" button, I see a high amount of super pretty pictures, of which I'm impressed of course! I myself would love a nice feed with high quality pictures too. But it all depends on how much you would do to get the "perfect picture". Some go to crazy extents of taking multiple shots until the food runs cold, or until their photographer's patience has run low. Sure, we all have that tiny part of ourselves that likes to "show off", but it depends on how much that tiny part has control of us.
Which brings me to the title, is social media REALLY controlling us?
Or is it just our ignorant selves blaming the social media on our own selfish doing. Humans tend to unconsciously do that, you know; blaming everything else but themselves. Social media is not the source of all these. WE chose to be like this. Do you see social media FORCING you to post ONLY pretty pictures? Did they say that they will only allow nice pictures to be posted online? See what I mean? Humans are the ones behind this and yet people are blaming it on social media. Granted, social media is only a small part of our lives - well, unless you choose to make social media your whole life, now THAT is suicide.
I'm sure all of you have heard about Essena O' Neill, the girl who "quit" social media because she thinks social media is fake and has also gone viral because of her video and website.
To be honest, I didn't play the whole video, but I roughly got the idea of what she wants to convey. For me, social media is one way of jotting down minute details of our lives so that we could one day go back and see how far we've come. Is it fake? It is only fake IF you allow yourself to be fake. She stated that for some of her bikini pictures, she starved herself to get a perceived flat tummy. Now, THAT is exactly the problem. No one forced her to do that right? She was obviously not happy about it, but she still did it. That's the difference between her and other sincerely happy instagrammers.
I follow inspirational people like Benjamin Kheng and Christabel Chua. Yes, I admit, they DO have close to perfect instagram feeds, but the point is, THEY ARE PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH THEIR LIVES, and they continue inspiring people around them by just being who they are in their own special ways. Would you say that they're fake?
When Essena had gone viral, she made a website called letsbegamechangers.com, which not surprisingly, has now become her own personal website, essenaoneill.com. And if you happen to click on her website, it will show this:
Lol. Okay. What happened to "giving up social media"? I am not finding fault in what she is doing but her fault is just too easy to detect. Writing a book on "How to be social media famous" is totally contradicting to what she's been trying to stand for since she "stopped" being on social media, which honestly, if she really is trying to quit, she would've deleted her instagram account and also this website of hers. She first created the game changer website to "educate" people about social media, and also asking for donations to fund her.
I don't think it got such a big response though. Considering the fact that social media was what she used to make money, now she has no means of earning what she used to earn, which is probably why she decided to write her own book. I'm all about supporting someone who stands for themselves, but if you decide to write something about something contrary to your beliefs, why do you think people would take you seriously anymore? It's something to think about. However, there's probably so much more to what we're seeing right now.
Just my two cents on the whole situation.
Another situation I've observed is that, some people tend to over portray their lives online. There are a lot of raw feelings involved. I would think that they probably need a sense of comfort from all the likes and comments. Or maybe approval that they're doing certain things right. Broadcasting how unhappy you feel in a relationship won't be much of a help, but rather it will become a catalyst in destroying whatever room for discussion you have left with your partner. And I don't understand why one needs to get approval from others to gain enough confidence to know that he or she is in the right relationship? Because what I do know is that if I were to go to the extent of having to gain approval from my friends to know what's right for me, there is definitely something wrong with my relationship. I'm not sure, but it is a hell of an unhealthy activity to be doing, especially at such a young age where you'd probably regret doing so when you're older.
When Facebook reminded me of the "memories" I had, I look back at my statuses, and most of them say that I'm doing this, or I'm doing that, or whatever angry emotion I'm feeling. I used to be that kid who lays out everything on my platform for everyone to see, regardless whether I know them or not. That's why I understand. Hehe and I know I still post about my feelings on THIS platform, but I've been more careful about it. Yeah you can still read about my older posts but I refuse to take them down because they do not just contain memories, but I can also see the essence of how I used to be and how far I've grown. Feel free to roam around and laugh at my childishness hahaha.
The conclusion is that social media is what we perceive it to be. Sure, it has the power to control us, but don't let that power eat into your life. YOU are the one taking control of your life; not the society and definitely not social media. Don't let that tiny part of you destroy the rest of you. YOU are what YOU are, and not what social media thinks you should be. Don't be influenced by what others say. Create content that makes you happy, not what makes the "likers" happy.
Thanks for dropping by.
x
Celine
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