Oh blogging. That bout of narcissism that we all so enjoy. A form of journalism, without the credibility, and generally about subjects which hardly anyone cares about. We sit at home in our cramped, dingy apartments and try and define our significance and share it with the world. We desperately stare at the number of "likes" on our facebook pages and hope that somehow one click of a mouse will make all of our loneliness and insecurities go away.
I find it so interesting the number of people in modern societies who pay thousands of dollars to go see shrinks once a week and yet they don't hardly say words in person to any of their 700 facebook friends. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why has our generation got chronic social anxiety?
I more than anything make these critiques and ask these questions of myself. For years I have struggled with authenticity and deeply personal relationships. I seek after value in all the wrong places (including social media). How many people will compliment me on my dress? How quickly did they respond to that text?...
We have entered into a space where somebody saying "hi" instead of "OMG I LOVE YOUR DRESS!!" has become lackluster, if not just downright insulting. Our society has become numb to the beauty and fulfillment of simple human interaction and replaced it with false reality. Why?
I personally chose to cut Netflix/Television out of my life a few weeks ago. Being a college student, I would often watch tv shows to relax or to just generally procrastinate between studying and all the other stresses of life which we are "forced" to endure in the university setting. Normal right? Every college student loves to gossip about the next episode of "such and such" show and how it's the greatest thing ever! However, what most of those college students don't realize is that the reason behind their obsessive TV watching is a lack of satisfaction with their own reality. I was beginning to model my life after the people who I was watching for hours every day. My own relationships, my own experiences, my own beauty, my own identity fell anticlimactically flat.
So here I am. Still completely flawed, still struggling with the insecurities that most women in my generation struggle with, but here to remind all of us that there is hope. There is hope for this social media generation. I could go on and on about all the problems, but what does that do besides depress everybody? Being critical without action is just a sign of fear and weakness. I'm tired of allowing my internal dialogue about a facebook post or a tv show to be the only honest conversation I have all day. Let's bring back the power of a simple smile, wave, and "hi." Let's honestly share our ideas with each other over a latte instead of tailoring a facebook post to fit the latest trend of what we're supposed to be talking about.
Although in choosing to write a blog you may consider me extremely hypocritical, but I have chosen it as an alternative expression to sitting idly by and becoming a false reality junky. Because I struggle sometimes with verbal expression, I would like this place to become the starting point for forum amongst people. I dare you to disagree with me! (Although hopefully it will come with a smiling face and some tea at Starbucks one of these days).
Let the authentic, personal conversations begin
...
Boom. Truth. Love this "Being critical without action is just a sign of fear and weakness." Very well written.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. Not really, It's more I have a different perspective but saying "I disagree" sounded better. I have seen social media keep my family together even though we live in different states. I have seen social media give a girl comfort and confidence after a nasty breakup, when otherwise she would be alone and depressed. And it's social media you are using to start this wonderful conversation. It's only the misuse of social media that is destructive. Like anything good, love, money, power, wine/beer, food, dance/art, it's the sinful/selfish abuse of them that is hallowing and destructive. When all we care about is what others think of us then walking down the street can have the same destructive effect as facebook. But when we go out and act for the benefit of others, then I see social media as a very natural extension of communication, like telephones was to writing letters.
ReplyDelete(forgive my bad grammar/spelling I'm an artist not a poet. :D )
I think you misunderstand the theme of this post jonathan. She's writing about social media in regards to those looking to it to solve our problems. She's focused on the "abuse" part, but not making it an absolute evil. Just when it becomes the attempted answer to our insecurities, fears, doubts, etc. does it becomes harmful.
ReplyDeleteBut I think it's clear that social media has a far greater potential for harm than phone calls and writing letters. Look at the obsession to Facebook and instagram. People check it hourly if not more, every time there's a pause in the conversation. IDEALLY it is great for what you're talking about Jonathan. I love keeping in contact with friends I don't see all the time. But it's unrealistic to believe it's not widely used in an unhealthy manner by most of its users. Facebook and instagram is a beehive of comparison, envy and insecurity. Sometime's it's only at a subconscious level which this happens.