Social Media
So in my last post I commented that I may be getting rid of my Facebook account. I'm still not totally sure how or if I'm going to go about doing this-- Facebook has become integrated as a part of my life, it has pictures, emails, and posts that I don't really want to say goodnbye to. It is a way to connect with friends and family, especially now that I'm going off to college and wont see these people as often. A very large part of me doesn't really want to get rid of that.
However, at the same time, the effect and monopoly Facebook has over my life kind of freaks me out. I'm not the kind of person who spends hours on Facebook, but I do care deeply about how I am percieved on my wall. I obsess over only allowing good pictures... I allow my perception of other people to change based on the stuff on their wall. I carefully "like" the things that I want people to know that I like. Everything about what I do on Facebook is designed to show other people how pretty, fun, or interesting I am. And I know that's me, not necessarily the site, but it brings out a weakness in me and makes me feel very materialistic. I always want to take pictures whenever I do something so I can put it on Facebook, and it doesn't satisfy me that I'm doing this fun thing; I need to show people. And I think that's just awful.
I think it's extremely messed up how the media makes everyone think that girls look perfect all the time, look beautiful, thin and smooth, and ever-fashionable. Many stars complain about this, but of course no one does anything about it, because they don't want to expose their flaws to the world and be the butt of a joke.
Because girls get to pick and choose what they put up on Facebook, untag the bad pictures and edit their pictures to death, it furthers the illusion that girls are just always that way. Maybe some of those girls do always look that fantastic, but guess what? Most of us don't. And we shouldn't be ashamed of that, it shouldn't be this secret and horrifying thing. We shouldn't compare pictures with other girls and think that society wants us to be that way, and then feel awful when we can't compare. We only put up the good but never the bad, and it creates this big lie. Lighting, camera angle, editing software all are used to make this greater, more perfect version of ourselves to the virtual world. I just am so sick of trying to be that person.
I am beginning to hate having an online persona- I really want to just be a real-life person, who you have to talk to to get to know; not go through all my "likes" and pictures and see who my friends are and who wrote on my wall. I want to enjoy my life and not feel the constant need to instagram, tweet, or snapchat it all away. I think we are cheapening sweet moments by forcing them onto social media for people we hardly even know.
I dont think I'm going to delete my Facebook, but I am glad I recognized what bothers me about it. I feel really passionately about how horribly unrealistic and unfair the media's portrayal of women is, and I wish I cold do something about it.
However, at the same time, the effect and monopoly Facebook has over my life kind of freaks me out. I'm not the kind of person who spends hours on Facebook, but I do care deeply about how I am percieved on my wall. I obsess over only allowing good pictures... I allow my perception of other people to change based on the stuff on their wall. I carefully "like" the things that I want people to know that I like. Everything about what I do on Facebook is designed to show other people how pretty, fun, or interesting I am. And I know that's me, not necessarily the site, but it brings out a weakness in me and makes me feel very materialistic. I always want to take pictures whenever I do something so I can put it on Facebook, and it doesn't satisfy me that I'm doing this fun thing; I need to show people. And I think that's just awful.
I think it's extremely messed up how the media makes everyone think that girls look perfect all the time, look beautiful, thin and smooth, and ever-fashionable. Many stars complain about this, but of course no one does anything about it, because they don't want to expose their flaws to the world and be the butt of a joke.
Because girls get to pick and choose what they put up on Facebook, untag the bad pictures and edit their pictures to death, it furthers the illusion that girls are just always that way. Maybe some of those girls do always look that fantastic, but guess what? Most of us don't. And we shouldn't be ashamed of that, it shouldn't be this secret and horrifying thing. We shouldn't compare pictures with other girls and think that society wants us to be that way, and then feel awful when we can't compare. We only put up the good but never the bad, and it creates this big lie. Lighting, camera angle, editing software all are used to make this greater, more perfect version of ourselves to the virtual world. I just am so sick of trying to be that person.
I am beginning to hate having an online persona- I really want to just be a real-life person, who you have to talk to to get to know; not go through all my "likes" and pictures and see who my friends are and who wrote on my wall. I want to enjoy my life and not feel the constant need to instagram, tweet, or snapchat it all away. I think we are cheapening sweet moments by forcing them onto social media for people we hardly even know.
I dont think I'm going to delete my Facebook, but I am glad I recognized what bothers me about it. I feel really passionately about how horribly unrealistic and unfair the media's portrayal of women is, and I wish I cold do something about it.
Comments
Post a Comment