Social Media is Shit
I saw an image shared (ironically) on social media, that contained what was labelled as an “Unpopular opinion”. That opinion, was that Social Media has destroyed our generations chances of ever truly being happy.
Back in the days before we posted our every single move we make online, an individual’s world was what they could see before them. They occasionally found out about what other people were doing by speaking to them or overhearing a conversation but generally your world was what you could see, and choosing to be happy (as its a choice, dont forget) was an easier choice to make. Apart from unreachable celebrity lifestyles, the majority of the lives we could compare ours to were the ones of our close friends and family, and usually those people live within the same world as you do. Phrases like “Keeping up with the Joneses” have been around for over 100 years, and originally it meant trying to stay on par or ahead of your close neighbours in terms of how nice your house looked, how neat your garden was and how proud you were of your little – actual – empire. Now, thanks to the rise of materialism and consumerism, we now define someone’s success by the clothes they wear, the items they possess and how “Polished” they are as a human being.
Nows, due to how far-reaching each person’s “world” has become, there is a plethora of micro-celebs, internet “influencers” who paint unrealistic, unreachable pictures of their lies across dopamine-hit-inducing “social” networks, and whether they realise it or not – they use these false images to compare against their own lives which leads to nothing but disappointment and depression.
There is no denying the correlation between the rise in social media usage, and the rise in clinical depression and anxiety in young people. The rise of suicides, the rise of addiction treatment for social media usage… We have created all-consuming platforms that have taken control of our happiness and almost removed the choice from us. We are forced to feel like shit.
I have spoken to real people, who are fully addicted to instant messaging and social media and completely deny it. I have witnessed with my own eyes some people’s inability to hear a notification and ignore it, they are drawn to their device and are impulsed to check what it is and who its from – replying instantly despite the fact they were half way through a conversation with someone else at the time, for example. I’m no angel, ive done it before and now when it happens I find myself feeling guilty for wanting to look. I try not to, as I understand its an issue and I dont want to fall victim to it.
I am trying to be the best version of me, I am trying to “own” my life and my decisions and not let anything choose or decide for me. It’s hard, and it almost feels like by doing so, I am alienating myself from the rest of the world but I hope I am simply an early adopter of this mindset and I hope one day the world does an about turn and decides to not let AI and social media dictate their happiness.
Don’t let a temporary feeling or emotion dictate the rest of your life. There is a real world happening around you, dont view it through a 5″ touchscreen for the rest of your life.
Peace out.
One reply on “Social Media has Ruined The World”
This is a very good and accurate remark on social media. Although posted in 2019 now at the end of 2020 it is even more relevant and proven! The social media giants have grown mostly unregulated and have powerful lobbyists whom bribe the political elite by supporting their elections, not just with money but also with their biased reporting and views via their global power base internet platforms! It’s sad and disturbing that our children are also drawn into their dark webs via online gaming as well other social media tactics. My own 12 year old has also been pulled into this and children are forgetting the importance of family, family ideals and religious beliefs and need tearing away from their tablets and smartphones so they can spend time with their parents and friends and having a proper upbringing away from social media influences. Bottom line is social media needs finite regulating, even stopped and the internet used for education and correctly regulated communications and such.