This era of technological advancement has opened the doors for various digital platforms that are both entertaining and addicting. For many, a day starts with checking notifications, updating statuses, accepting and requesting online friendships, and scrolling through the plethora of information available at mere fingertips. The day proceeds with walks to class or work where attention is captivated by mobile devices that provide short-term releases of dopamine that lead to short-term happiness.
Social media can be a helpful avenue in keeping tabs on friends, family, coworkers, and even strangers, but oftentimes, social media becomes a tool that allows a user to construct an online persona that may or may not be deceitful. Many carefully constructed online personalities are even the faces of products and brands, opening up a whole new realm of advertisement; however, the digital world may be lacking in reality.
140 characters that appear to be a quick, witty remark may have been read and reread or even stolen from other users while carefully posed and edited pictures flood Instagram feeds. Moreover, this information that people upload and view on a daily basis is open to the public. Colleges may view social media accounts of potential students, companies may even request access to these same accounts, and not to mention, how might grandma feel about the pictures you’re tagged in from Saturday night?
I was an avid user of social media. I Snapchatted friends blowing out birthday candles, and I posted pictures that took many takes and poses and several filters to get right. I told myself my online persona was reflective of who I truly was, but was I being honest with myself?
The perfectly posed picture from vacation didn’t show the mental breakdown that followed due to overwhelming stress and an anxiety disorder. The Snapchat of my friends and I laughing didn’t show the fight proceeding those moments and the kind words that led to laughter and forgiveness. My social media accounts were not my reality, and as I scrolled through accounts picturing Instagram models, strangers, and friends I hadn’t seen in ages, I wondered about their own stories. The silent, heart-breaking moments; the raw smiles, un-posed and unedited; the daily struggles and battles won; the battles lost and long forgotten.
Reality can be too real sometimes. It can be painfully excruciating, and social media allows for people to create a new reality, but in reality, we can also find the most pure and unfiltered happiness that can’t be communicated through an online persona. For this reason, I chose to delete my social media accounts.
I want to plant my feet firmly in reality and not allow the allure of digital platforms and short-term pleasures to dictate my thoughts and actions.
Despite the absence of my online presence, the temptation still exists, which is incredibly strange when you think about it. Even though I’ve been off Snapchat for over a month now, I still find myself reaching for my phone, looking for a ghost app that I’m no longer a part of, planning to show the world my current activities. The moment when I realize I’m taking part in a habitual ritual that no longer applies to myself becomes a moment of reflection.
Why would I want to document this moment to the world? Would this be utilized to unconsciously brag to my friends? Do I feel confident about myself and want people to see how I look today? No matter the question, the answer has never been, I want to upload this for myself.
Because Facebook has become integrated into many clubs, communities, and organizations I belong to as a means of communication rather than texting or emailing, I have decided to keep my Facebook, but I only use Facebook for these necessary purposes. I understand that social media has become an integral part of the lives of many, but I encourage you, reader, to reevaluate your own reasons for living a part of your life in this digital world.
Perhaps the digital world is the future and maybe even a bright one, but we must not neglect our own realities in hopes of gaining likes, followers, and online friends. I challenge you to take a break from social media and be mindful of the unconscious urges to skim through feeds, upload moments, and gain a larger online presence. Maybe you will find that a life apart from the digital world allows for a greater appreciation and understanding of life’s many moments: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
