Instant gratification…more like constant reaffirmation of your lack of self-deprecation.
Society tells us to be smart but not a smartass. Society tells us to be strong and not too vulnerable. Society tells us to be happy but not annoying. Society is telling us what we are worth. As a whole, we are letting society determine how we feel about ourselves. That is because of our huge need of Instant Gratification. Instant Gratification is the process of getting fulfillment without delay. That is why our friends Twitter, Instagram, Tinder, and Facebook provide us with so much happiness. It is the fact that we are gaining acceptance without truly working for it. These social media platforms act as great forms of entertainment, but there needs to be a light shone on the problems that they induce. Instant gratification is constantly sought after through these websites, and we as a society need to change that.
Twitter is a constant reel of random thoughts and quirky comments. Many of these are aimed at inducing a laugh out of their follower base. Rarely does this feed accurately represent who you are. By putting a persona on in order to obtain favorites or retweets, you are just hurting yourself.
Instagram is huge when it comes to misconceptions and instant gratification. This app is not an accurate representation of people. Filters can be added to photos, they can be Photoshopped, along with much more. Plus, what someone chooses to put on Instagram is the best version of themselves. YOU do not get to see the nitty gritty parts of people’s lives through Instagram. You only see what they want you to see, so that can be incredibly deceiving. Therefore, do not compare yourself to other people via social media.
Now, Tinder is the mecca for instant gratification. This online dating app/game allows people to look at other people’s pictures and swipe right or left based on interest or disinterest. In a split second, you are notified of whether or not people find you attractive. This can be great for self-esteem, however, when all of it is over, there is no fulfillment.
Facebook promotes instant gratification because it encourages likes and shares. Whoever has the most friends or likes is the coolest. We determine our self-worth by these seemingly unimportant factors. Even if it is subconscious, these small things mean so much to us. Think about it, how do you feel if you get barely any likes on that cute selfie. What if you got zero likes? How would that make you feel? If the answer is poorly, then you might want to reevaluate how much stock you are putting into your social media accounts.
The deal with instant gratification is that is is instant. Instant gratification is unfulfilling in the long run. That is why we as people need to find better ways to gratify ourselves, besides social media.
