In today's age of social media, it's hard to stay off your phone. We have entire apps dedicated to wasting time, checking out what other people are doing, and looking at pictures of other peoples' lives. While social media can be helpful and entertaining, it should not be something that takes hours away from our days.
If you're like me, you check your social media every morning like it's a new-age newspaper. I often find myself spending an hour in bed just scrolling through my Instagram and Facebook feeds, and suddenly my day seems more hurried because I spent an hour doing nothing really important. I'm not saying social media is pointless; it has led to new social changes, it has brought people closer together, it has allowed a platform for people to speak their minds (be that good or bad). But I am saying too much of it is a waste of time.
I used to be that person that took a picture at some special event with the thought in mind "this will look great on my Instagram, people will be jealous of what I'm doing." If that's all social media apps mean to teens and young adults of this generation, then that's not exactly us building a better world for ourselves. We shouldn't take pictures with the main purpose to make others jealous. I have since changed my thinking, and my Instagram and Facebook accounts have changed. Based on my Timehop, several years ago all I used to do was tell people exactly what I was doing and with whom. No one needs to know what you're doing at every second of the day. My Instagram now features a lot more landscapes, things I think are beautiful, things and people that are meaningful to me, and I think that's how social media should be used.
I once read somewhere, "If you want to know what people are afraid of losing, look at what they take pictures of." After reading that, I evaluated my social media accounts. As I grew up each year, I realized I don't need to try and post the best pictures or write the funniest tweets and statuses just so it will get a lot of likes. Your social media is what you care about, and nowadays it's the first place people will learn about you, what you look like, your likes and dislikes, your personality.
Our generation also has a very real sensation referred to as FOMO -- Fear Of Missing Out. I think that's why we like to post pictures that will make people jealous. Sometimes you just want to share these fun experiences with everyone, but that in turn can leave followers envious, especially if, like me, you work a lot and don't always have opportunities to share incredible times.
However, I don't think picture-taking is wrong! Sure, it's annoying to go to a concert and not be able to see the artist because a million screens are raised in an attempt to get the best pictures and videos, and I personally think you should limit this videography and photography so that you aren't just watching a live concert through your phone the whole time. Let's be real, you could watch them live at home and get a much better view.
But that's not the point of going to see anything live. The point is to enjoy it because those artists are just feet from you, playing their hearts out to a screaming audience. It's about having that real experience, sharing that moment with hundreds, thousands of other fans who are right there with you. Honestly, you're not going to put up dozens of pictures and videos from a concert to make your followers jealous because some of your followers won't care or will be annoyed at you posting so much. It's crazy, these social media guidelines!
I'm not saying it's wrong to take pictures and want to capture a moment. There will always be times you want to remember later down the road, when the memory is a little fuzzy. It's okay to be a tourist, to make sure you won't forget a cool moment. But keep in mind that you don't always have to share. Our parents didn't buy a bunch of disposable cameras just so they could print out a million copies of one picture and mail it to all of their friends. Sometimes, the only person who will fully appreciate a picture is you because you are the one who took it, you are the one who understands the feelings and meanings behind it. There's nothing wrong with that!
We can't really get rid of social media in a world like this, but we can use it intelligently and meaningfully. Social media shouldn't be the drive behind picture-taking and social media sharing. It shouldn't be the motivation to go on adventures. You shouldn't go rock climbing just so you can take one picture. You shouldn't go skydiving just so you can post a cool video later. You should do it for the personal experience, for the lessons you will learn, and, most importantly, for yourself. So don't be afraid to put the phone down every once in a while.
