Is Social Media Harming Self-Esteem?
We all see edited pictures all the time. What effect is this having on us?
We all love to mindlessly scroll through social media in our free time. I, for one, am constantly on Instagram and Pinterest to find inspiration for a new haircut or new outfits. Whenever I post a picture, I find myself worried about whether or not it fits the standards of our modern world. Social media has been crucial to our development and has allowed us to become more connected than ever.
However, social media has also provided an environment for bullying and criticism. It seems as though there is a certain image young people, especially young women, have to fit into in order to acquire popularity through 'likes'. Today, our society believes that self-worth is placed on likes. The more like you have, the prettier you are, the more perfect your life is.
This viewpoint is so detrimental to young girls. I know that personally when I see pictures of girls that I perceive to be prettier or more in shape than me, I feel bad about myself. I guess in a way, these comparisons can be good. They can promote healthy ways of living or life habits that make ourselves better. However, these comparisons can also promote harmful practices like extreme dieting or exercise plans that can be seriously dangerous. Additionally, there are some parts of us that we cannot change. Mild acne was a problem I always struggled with and I remember wanting clear skin so badly because that was the societal standard of beauty.
Social media is not where beauty standards started. By no means are some simple apps the root of our societal problems. However, they are a major platform for these toxic beauty standards to spread. Cyberbullying and comparison are more widespread than ever in young women. This is a serious issue that we need to deal with immediately.
