Social media has become the newest thing, so much so that people think it's weird if you don't have at least one account through some network. Nearly 90 percent of young Americans have an account of some sort, whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. So of course, with this many people on social media, it is nearly guaranteed to be a large influence on almost everyone's lives in some way. One of the main ways I have seen it influence people is within their relationships, and not in a good way either. It has come to a point where I see social media actually be the reason behind a relationship coming to an end.
Social media portrays the "perfect relationship" as one that is constant spoiling, but that's not the problem. It's the type of spoiling that is shown all over the internet. It's the type where a girl/guy claims that their significant other is the best simply because he or she bought them something expensive. This leads to a ridiculous amount of high expectations that will more than likely result in being disappointed. People only show off the material spoiling, never the actual important things such as affection, attention and effort which are the things that really matter. Through this, people are being shown that in order for their significant other to be a good partner, they must shower them in material objects which is incredibly false.
In relation to this spoiling, social media always puts women on a pedestal. When I say this I'm not saying that women shouldn't be treated like princess, because they should, but it seems as if guys never receive the recognition they deserve. If a man treats a woman right and does everything in his power to keep her happy, he should be treated the same in return. There shouldn't be the double standard of girls being the only one that deserves everything. Men deserve to be spoiled too. They deserve the constant love and affection that every girl seems to think they need. Men shouldn't always have to pay every time a couple goes out. The idea of putting your partner on a pedestal should be go both ways and that's what social media is failing to show.
Lastly, social media gives people the ability to "stalk" their partner. Anyone that is super into social media knows exactly what I mean by this. For example, Twitter allows people to look at another person's likes to see what they have been liking. On almost any social media network there is a way that someone could basically watch what their partner is doing and this is what kills relationships. It doesn't help that women overthink nearly everything so if a guy likes something that another girl posted every little crazy thought could run through her mind and before long it has turned into a fight between the couple. Or a guy will get mad if his girlfriend likes anything that a guy he doesn't like posts. It's as if no one is safe.
Above all people need to drop the high expectations and learn to trust their partner. Social media portrays a lot of bad people and says the typical "everyone is the same", but that is extremely false and people need to start giving their partner a chance. Stop seeking expensive, material objects and start appreciating the little things your partner does. And lastly, a relationship should consist of two people, so leave the problems out of your posts and just focus on having a healthy relationship in the real world.
