Social

Essay by Lawson S

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Social media tends to be a personal topic for many. This topic may present as controversial for some, whilst it may be more acceptable among other circles. That said, that doesn’t mean it should go without proper discussion- it’s due.

As per Maryville.edu, the evolution of social media has been fueled by the human impulse to communicate and by advances in digital technology. I find that this is because most humans need some sort of spark or attention that they can actively grasp onto, making it so that they don’t necessarily face and embrace some of their toughest realities, at least right away. They can easily make it a “maybe tomorrow” scenario. Think about it. It’s immensely easier to look at some hottie partaking in a elegant vacation while wearing the newest, most stunning fashion available, participating in lavish activities showing great pleasure and nothing but good vibes on a glass screen —and most of the time we rarely know this person (at least up close and personal)!

It’s easier to instill our demons among others who may have it better than us.

Social media also has degrading properties that make it sometimes difficult to keep up with your own lifestyle as you see those who are successful, or at least at better appearing that way than you are. It can completely ruin a person in some scenarios.

With all of this in mind, we mustn’t forget that there is something relatively decent about social media. We aren’t at the hands of old-technologies that, in the past, made it so that you had to wait however long until you connected with someone, regardless if social media presents reality, at least it’s there.

Social media can be a tricky issue to discuss, as it has the potential to be both beneficial and detrimental. On the one hand, it can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, as well as to promote causes and businesses. On the other hand, it can be a source of comparison, envy, and self-doubt. It's important to create a healthy balance and to use it for positive purposes.

Many bring up a great point about it being easier to look at others seemingly living their best life, and it can be easy to get caught up in the fantasy of it all. However, it's important to remember that behind the pictures is a real person whose life is not perfect and likely has their own struggles and challenges. It's important to be mindful of this and to focus on our own lives and journey.

It is truly all about finding a balance and using social media in a way that is beneficial to our mental health and overall wellbeing. Though just them trying to fake in the first place is an offense.

At the end of the day, we are all playing one massive, complex, and rigorous game: who can be the most successful at displaying their success. Most of your fellow citizens that post pictures and videos on these platforms and receive more positive attention than you do is merely because they are better at playing this sick little twisted game that these tech CEOs and marketing executives have birthed for us. If this game keeps on generating so much hurt and pain, why do we continue to actively fuel it. We have now fully stepped into a digital Stanford Prison Experiment