The madness of this rapidly “socialized” world is wrapping me with its poisonous dew.
Getting lost. We are getting lost. Forgetting. Forgetting our nature, our purpose, what really matters. Suddenly, being everything on social media is…everything. Since when? If we’re not making a living out of it, what do we earn from it?
I remember reading a post from a sort of “famous” Instagram username the other day. It said:
She wondered how she could have so many followers and so few friends…
Whether those were her words or not; whether that’s her reality or not, it is true for many. So many. In fact, most popular people in Hollywood could probably relate. Some have the world at their feet yet can’t conquer happiness.
Fun. Trying to answer my own question, I think I do it for fun. But am I being honest? We as human require —or think we do require— so much validation. And then, there’s narcissism. The media keep talking about this new narcissistic era, but aren’t we all, then? Except for the people who are smart (?) enough to avoid social media, we are all guilty. If I am, if people like me are narcissistic, I fail to see how it is harmful.
But, then again, technology just keeps advancing. What if this is THE way and it’s here to stay? We’re stuck with something awful. Or perhaps something wonderful? Just recently I was reading the story of twins separated at birth and reunited through Facebook. How insanely amazing is that?! They would’ve never been able to do that before the Internet. And that’s only one of the many mysteries solved thanks to social media. That’s the great thing about this all.
Going back to why we do it, in trying to answer my question I remembered that, when you have something to promote, as in (ahem) a book or a business, those “follows” and those “likes” go a long way. It’s like the “virtual word of mouth.” It’s a great tool for free marketing. Regardless, I hope you have a sense of humor if you’re on social media.
In my case, if I weren’t on social media mainly for promotion purposes, I don’t know if by now I could have borne being on it at all. A few times, I’ve thought about quitting Facebook, for instance, but then remember (and try to get it in my head) that I’m not on there for personal reasons. Not especially. I no longer care to keep in touch with people through the most dramatic platform ever; that’s what Instagram is for. Okay, that’s the second worst. I don’t think you can snoop as much (considering you’re into that kind of sh*t), but Twitter is more sane. Take your love there if you must.
My original question though, was:
Does it validate you in society?
The number of followers and the “likes” you collect; does it mean anything in real life? If not enough people “like” it, does it mean your opinion doesn’t matter and, say, your look is underwhelming and you aren’t “official”? Believe me, having a ton of people interacting with you and following your every post is pretty darn cool. But, remember, you can live without outside validation. The only one you need is your own. Your existence alone counts and your approval of yourself is the most important one.
