Cosmic Night Owl

Who knew one little blue button could have such a huge impact on how we see ourselves. Social media is a prominent force of nature in today’s culture, and several people lose themselves to the digital world.

I joined Facebook when I was sixteen; at the time every person I knew had a Facebook profile, and I was eager to jump on the band wagon. I filled out the usual questionnaire: Are you male or female? What are you interested in? What movies do you like? Where do you stand in politics? Blah, blah, blah. I remember uploading the crappiest selfie as my profile picture- a shot of me making a kissy-face with a mushroom shaped haircut and my right hand curled into a peace sign.

I described myself as being a simple girl who loves having tons of friends and going to parties! That was a bold-faced lie. The reality was that I was beyond shy, barely had any true friends, and almost never left the comfort of my bedroom. But I wouldn’t dare tell anybody that truth. I advertised myself as something I wasn’t.

 As soon as everything was set up, I began the hunt for followers. It began with family and then slowly moved toward the people who I had classes with. Some of them I had barely even talked to, but it wasn’t about building true relationships. Not at all. Instead it was about showcasing this false idea that I was a socialite, that I was some active participant in several social circles rather than merely being some kind of wallflower.

Having 160 Facebook friends? Pffff. What about 900, or even over a thousand? When you post a photo of yourself to your page, should it matter whether someone likes it or not? Getting likes makes you feel as though you’re not invisible, that people are acknowledging you. I knew a girl a few years back who hated the fact that she’d receive no more than ten likes on her selfies, and constantly complained whenever she saw- after intense sessions of online creeping- that other girls received more than fifty likes.

The point that I’m trying to make is…well…what the hell is the point? Why do so many people allow their social media to define who they are? This doesn’t go to say that I’m not guilty of the same sin I’m complaining about. It’s something that I continue to struggle with each day.