My Social Dilemma
Social Media is like a toxic friend. A frenemy, if you will. It has its good and enjoyable moments. But we know it can be something so debilitating and harmful. Like most toxic yet enjoyable things, the good outweighs the bad enough for us to continue.
I’ve had too much time this past year to think about my own social media usage and why I indulge as much as I do. The reasoning behind my scrolling is about more than just social media. In life, I hate not knowing and the fear of missing out. Social media is immediate access to the answers that I’m looking for and the best lens to see what I may be missing out on. It provides me a front seat to everything that I wish to know.
In times like 2021, the unknown is pretty scary. Especially after surviving 2020. I can fully admit that the social networking apps that I scroll through are temporary crutches. When I need a good laugh, I head straight to Tik Tok and then to Twitter. When I want to see what certain people are up to or thinking about, I’ll stay on Twitter or head to Instagram. Even if I’m not interested in a boredom crutch or want to know about the lives of others, these sites are still the ultimate distractions.
I’ve noticed that they can hinder me from doing the simplest of tasks. And they take up more of our time than we realize. I could have a fifteen minute self-care routine planned after a shower. Instead of completing the routine, I’ll sit down in my towel and scroll through Tik Tok. Then I stop scrolling to get dressed and ten minutes are gone just like that! I got my laugh. But I wasted ten minutes of my real life.
I believe it is important to recognize that social media is a highlight reel. A lot of people use the word “fake” but a lot of it is also real. I didn’t think about it much until now, but I separate social media into two different realms. There’s one realm with people and things I know in real life and that are attainable to me. The other realm consists of influencers, celebrities and things I may not ever have or experience.
I could easily reach out to someone I know and get a good laugh. I could easily text a friend and see what they’re up to. I could easily reconnect with someone to get information on something I’d like to know about. All things that are achievable without social media. I can’t as easily admire the fantasy life of an influencer, be envious of #relationshipgoals or pout over vacations I may never see from outside of my phone. But I’m careful not to admire for too long because the last thing I want is to constantly be wishing that I’m someone else, which I’ve experienced before.
For me, each app has its own specific purpose. Some are more personal than others. If I had to choose one now, I would keep Tik Tok because it is the most entertaining. But I’d be losing access to work information on Facebook. I’d also be losing Instagram, the best way for me to keep up with people and my favorite way to share my creative outlet. Not to mention Twitter, the least creepiest way to keep up with a crush.
And no, I do not think I could stay off my phone for 24 hours. I say this because I use my phone for non-social media communication and as a TV from time to time. Could I stay off of social media for 24 hours? With a fully planned day ahead, yes. And the notification that would get me to break is a Twitter DM from my current crush or a tweet from my favorite band.
After seeing the film, I don’t plan on changing any of my privacy. My Facebook is private and I rarely use it. I don’t post anything secretive or worth hiding on any other site. I’m comfortable with my settings for the time being.
It is mentioned in the film how the rates of younger people getting their driver’s licenses and making real life connections have plummeted since the rise of social media. My friends and I talk all the time about how we believe our generation was the last to actually enjoy real life. Social media began to really take off in our middle and high school years. So we experienced life before the social media craze. We consider ourselves lucky.
One thing that resonated with my own personal experiences was when they spoke about addiction. Personally, I wouldn’t consider social media an addiction for myself. I think I could stop using it if I tried. But isn’t that what most people would say? So, I think the only way to really know if you could stop is if you did. And that definitely makes me want to self-reflect. Healthy relationships with social media should begin with how using it makes you feel. Acknowledge what doesn’t make you feel good and cut it out. Recognize what it could be hindering you from and do that other thing instead. Social media in moderation is fine. Living your entire life on it is not.
