How relevant is social media to your life? Do you follow the rules of Instagram? Are you cordial with your Twitter followers? Is your Facebook up to date? With the rapid increase in the presence of social media worldwide, I fear we have slowly become dependent on it. Would I be wrong in saying that we have lost sight of where mainstream media and social forums collide?
After the massive outcry from the people of Ferguson, people began to realize that mainstream media wasn't the most reliable source for our news. We are trained by the media tycoons to stay in tuned with what they deem relevant. With facts like these, it is not shocking that we run to our own individual social media accounts for comfort and acceptance.
The intense affect of websites like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., are weighing down our generation in ways we have sadly become accustomed to. We live for the approval of others rather than ourselves. Since when did it become the norm to present your new haircut to your followers with a dramatic presentation and a well thought out caption? When did we begin putting so much emphasis on displaying a new beau to the world with a Woman Crush Wednesday or Man Crush Monday photo? Why must we constantly share our daily activities with hundreds of people we don't even talk to? We clearly focus on what others are seeing rather than what we are doing.
As we delve into these regrettable social norms, we begin to wonder, what is really going on behind those cameras? Are you really as happy as you look on my timeline, or is that a detailed showcase for the masses? The truth will eventually manifest itself so the act of hiding behind an app will quickly deteriorate as reality sets in -- or gets out.
The façade of social media is unfortunately overwhelming to the point where the things a person may post are about as incredulous as the authenticity of Nicki's butt. I have been trained to question everything I see on social media, as it is common knowledge that many people yearn for acceptance and are working with individual agendas.
You may think you are looking at a simple photograph with a little light filtering, but really you have transpired a world unbeknownst to you. The reality is, every picture, every tweet, or every post, is most likely intricately contemplated as an attempt to create an image to be approved (hopefully) by peers.
In the unfortunate case that your life lacks the necessary excitement or glamour to reach the sought after approval ratings, the façade can then be manipulated with some better angling and more elaborate wording. A filter can intensify a pretty face, and the right angle can turn a small gathering into a high-class celebration. It's our generation's form of witchcraft.
In any case, I leave you with one piece of advice: do not believe the façade that is social media. What you see on these screens is often formatted for judgment and therefore cannot be taken literally in any sense.