Over time, it is believed that identity is a function of some fragmented truths and a lot of
abstractions. This delineation of what identity is has never truly been fitting or meant so much in any generation as it does in this present age of the social media. Today, what defines happiness and fulfillment for a lot of people can be traced to what they seemingly have accomplished online – on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms out there.
Of course, a lot can be achieved on these platforms considering they present quite a lot of usage benefits and opportunities especially in the form of connectivity speed, information quantity, its cost effectiveness, community building aids, and so on. However, just as it is common with most systems, social media also has its negative side including security and privacy issues, health related problems, addiction, and more, of which losing one’s self can be argued to be the most intricate and devastating downside of the popular platforms.
A larger percentage of users of the social media platforms are the youth, and many of them have lost self on these platforms in a bid to “grow account,” or “stay on trend” as it is popularly referred. A lot of times, because these people seek retweets, share, likes, and more followers, they post or re-post contents that wouldn’t resonate with their person, belief, faith, custom, and/or culture off the internet.
On the platforms, many use images that are not theirs’ because they are not confident or proud enough of what they look like, choosing rather to compare themselves with others, and wishing to they had the kind of lives others present that seems to be perfect online without the knowledge of what happens off it. For others, the platforms qualifies as the very basis of their existence – they would go for events, tours, and programs, or be among many people, colleagues, friends and families, and yet they remain logged in and connected online at the expense of savoring the lovely moments, enjoying the physical happenings or learning from the experience.
Generally, the problem of losing one’s self on social media is one of the major reasons while many of the so called “millennials” have lost hold of true values that define a man’s existence, happiness and fulfillment. Now, a lot of users can be characterized as disrespectful, undisciplined, and self- centered, and invariably they become less relational, less productive and having weak personalities outside of the social media platforms.
In my own journey, I have found solace in abandoning the rigorous day to day obligatory posting to a social media manager. I, just like many other professionals and influences, actually prefer to pay other people to deal with the wax and wane of virtual communities.
Social media is not all bad, as I said before. You are more than likely reading this blog after following a link from my social media. The only think I want to encourage by posting this soliloquy, is that you are worth more than photo-shopped pictures. Moments in life are meant to be enjoyed and cherished as memories form, not ticking time bomb vanishing snapchats.
Be You. Live in the moment. Then, maybe post about it later.