Social media. Nearly all of us have an account on at least one social media platform (if not more), whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube or Tumblr... the list goes on. Most of these sites supposedly make us more connected in some way; they offer an easy way to keep in touch with people and personalisable spaces where we can share various forms of content. Yet I've become increasingly aware of how much of an impact these websites and apps can have on peoples lives, both negatively and positively.
I've struggled to get my thoughts on this topic into a coherent form, but I've realised that broadly they fall into two categories: 'connectedness' and the way in which social media profiles are 'constructed'.
As someone who graduated last summer, with friends from various places dotted around the country, I do find social media useful for keeping up to date with them. It's a way that I can stay 'connected' in both an active way (instant messaging) and a passive way (seeing the content they post - photos/tweets/etc) when they're off living their own lives elsewhere. But, having said that, I will always appreciate and value seeing people in person above everything else. When someone actually makes the time to see me, it means a whole lot more than them just liking one of my photos on Facebook or retweeting a tweet I've posted. There's also another aspect of 'connectedness' that I've been thinking about though. I (like a lot of other people I'm sure) have found myself absentmindedly scrolling through Facebook to 'pass some time' - not even necessarily paying attention to what's been posted or shared. Why? Because the majority of it I just don't care about. I've become 'connected' with too many people, with people I've grown apart from, with people that I don't even speak to anymore... Pretty ironic given that social media is primarily meant to bring people together. Clearly just because you're friends with someone or follow them on social media doesn't mean you're going to have meaningful interactions with them.
Going onto the 'constructed' aspect I mentioned. I feel like a lot of social media sites are bordering on the edge of encouraging self validation. If the number of likes you get on a photo or the number of followers you have start to matter in relation to how you value your self, I think that's a dangerous position to find yourself in. Someone can be stunning and only get a handful of likes on their photo - likes do not represent self worth. Reducing your friendships and relationships down to numbers, however high that number may be, can be a lonely place. Followers don't necessarily translate into friends and likes don't equal happiness. Part of me is concerned that the generations that grew up on these platforms will potentially place too much importance on these aspects of social media. It lures people into comparing themselves to others in a negative way. My main point about all this is that every part of the 'passive' aspect of social media is constructed. Everyone posts the best version of themselves, they're selective. This may sound obvious to me and you, but it's questionable whether it's something that is kept in mind universally.
With all of this in mind, sometimes I like to log off of all my social media. Think about it. When was the last time you actually logged out of Facebook rather than just shutting the window? I find the simple action of disconnecting and consciously logging off satisfying. It breaks the habit of constantly checking the things I don't care about and it means I can take a break from always being 'connected' in the way I outlined above. There's a strange sense of freedom that can be gained from logging off, or even just turning off your phone now and again. Perhaps this freedom stems from the process of making an intentional and active choice, rather than being a passive observer and user of social media. Or maybe it's just because it forces you back into reality, a place where the 'like' button doesn't exist and the friends you choose to 'connect' with are genuine people rather than numbers.
Laura.
Song: This Is Not About Us by Banks
