Each day, we are absorbed by what is happening throughout lives of strangers, friends, celebrities, and the news underneath the touch of our fingertips. Social media is something that has enhanced communication, relationships, and being able to stay up to date with people around us. But social media has a lot of negative effects as well, especially in today’s time.
Look around at a restaurant and count how many people are on their phones or on the little kiosk provided at the table that allows people to entertain themselves. Count how many people you see outside, walking around with their phone in their palm. Count how many little kids are given a tablet or iPhone while their guardian is grocery shopping. Count. Did you count yourself, too?
There’s a video, above, on YouTube titled Stromae Carmen (please take three minutes to watch it) which highly depicts what today is like in this world with technology/social media. Social media isn’t all bad -- I’m using social media to share my articles -- but the way in which we use social media is abused. Social media controls us by the way in which we feel based on the amount of followers and likes we have on a page or picture. As the video suggests, the more people who follow you or the more people who like your stuff, the more likable you must be.
But do you like yourself or are the edits and filters hiding the false pretense that you call "fun" and #living? There is a difference between taking a photo or posting something to remember a moment of time and posting photos about how you went to the store after going to the gym in order to get applause, gratitude, and acknowledgement. People acknowledge that you are living, but how are you living? Are you living for yourself or for the notifications?
We are all water bugs skimming across the surface too afraid to dive deeper in fear of drowning, seamlessly skimming the water underneath our toes as if life is going to grab us by the ankles and pull us under without giving any oxygen to breathe. Let it pull you under. What is there besides a screen in front of you – a surface we scroll over? There is more than that. Look at the cute guy in class smile when he is passionate about a topic or see the leaves that tumble through the angry wind. You don’t have to edit everyday life that you can physically see.
As the video provides, we are all objects in social media. We are sucked in, swallowed, chewed up, and shit out. In the worst way possible, we are all pieces of social media’s shit and somehow we are OK with it...or we are numb to it. Each and every day we are manipulated, controlled, or addicted to what other people are posting or saying and what other people think about us. We care so much about what others think about us that we often stop caring what we think about ourselves.
When was the last time you looked in the mirror without Photoshop edits and truly thought you were beautiful? Now when was the last time you looked at a photo and thought the same thing? Phone screens are not frames to hang upon our walls to look at, mirrors are. What you see is what you reflect. Look at what is in front of you… and no, I don’t mean the camera attached to the selfie stick.
Try not to allow social media to consume you. Instead, be consumed in the abundance of life because you won't get these days back. You can replace a phone, computer, or tablet, but you cannot replace the way in which someone makes you feel or the laughter that swarms a crowded room.
