I'm having a bit of a late night internal debate about social media and Instagram in particular... I don't know about anyone else, but lately I just feel annoyed by all of the posts that center around someone fishing for compliments. I get that some of the posts are on there due to insecurity, but I have to wonder, are people really that desperate? Or is it because they have so much confidence? I know the normal, healthy thing to do would be to delete these platforms that celebrate a false sense of perfection, but I'd hate to get rid of the reality that does slip in through the cracks.
Besides the false images being portrayed, the other issue is the bombardment of politics/arguments. Yes, everyone is entitled to free speech but I simply cannot stand when wars are started in comment sections over the simplest stories/posts that were never intended to cause so much drama. Can't someone just take something at face value anymore? And if you do happen to see something you disagree with, do you *HAVE* to comment on it? I know there are different levels - like if something is obviously, morally wrong, then yeah, I see that inserting yourself into the situation to protect someone from getting hurt is necessary. Again though, just because you make a post about a belief that *you* think is crucial, and someone does decide to disagree with you, that doesn't give you the right to react rudely to that individual either. Let's say someone posts "I hate Trump" or "I hate Hillary", for example. Is it totally necessary to comment about how "stupid" or "uneducated" that person is? Can't we just ignore it and move on and understand that each person is entitled to his/her own opinion and that at the end of the day, that post really doesn't affect you - because honestly, even if you do comment, you're probably not going to change that person's mind.
All-in-all the platforms that I used to love from a creative standpoint have really started to make me sad. Are we just turning into people that are determined to hurt the feelings of others? Or are we the ones making constant posts to get that sense of validation that we are so hungry for? I know I've definitely done a few things online in the past that make me think about my real intentions of what I'm actually trying to say... And some of these things have made me wonder, am I just trying to seek attention? Am I just fishing for validation? Honestly anymore I just try to post about the things that I love and more importantly, the people that I love. And lately, overall, I've been saying less and less, simply due to the fear that even a simple post could set off a war. I know I shouldn't have to be afraid, but anymore, the censorship runs so rampant, that anything you say can be taken and used against you (especially if it's taken out of context).
I just think it's really important to take a step back - I'm not trying to say censor yourself, but just think before writing - is this a post that conveys my true self? Is it hurtful? Is it necessary? And maybe it's not completely possible to have a definitive answer to any of these questions from every possible perspective, but I do think these questions are important. Every story is allowed to have multiple sides and interpretations - and that's the beauty of a story. Everyone will enjoy the perspective that they interpret, and it's totally natural and acceptable if you choose to see a story different than someone else.
In conclusion, just be kind, be patient, and know that words shouldn't be used as a weapon. Treat and talk to others the way you would like to be treated and talked to. And seriously, if you don't have the guts to say something in person, then you probably shouldn't type it online...
