in defense of social media

Base of the Davidson Glacier 

Skagway, AK

One year ago I was in the middle of my social media cleanse. I deleted my twitter (which I would later come to regret), deactivated my facebook, and utilized instagram sparingly. So that I have come full circle and am posting with a title "in defense of social media" is very comical to me.

It has become very posh to berate social media. "All people are showing is the positive aspects of their life, and so I feel like they're showing off and that they never have the low moments that I have. I feel inadequate when I see how thrilling their life is." is the main complaint I've heard - and if I'm being totally honest, I've felt that way too.

I started thinking about writing this post shortly after I reactivated my facebook in March of last year. I would talk to people about it regularly, mainly because people felt as though I had failed when it came to ridding myself of reliance on social media for entertainment. In reality, there were a few events I missed out on because people didn't know how to get in contact with me, so I decided to come back and clean out my friends list instead of depleting it from my life completely.

Queue the moment where I realize that social media posts can be seen in a positive light as opposed to a negative one that makes me feel as though I'm not where I should be in life. I started integrating this thought into what would later become this post. Why can't I see the instagram of my friends enjoying the Alabama State Fair and instead of being insanely jealous, be happy for them that they're having a good time, and use that as a springboard to seek out my own local fairs in central Florida? That makes sense, doesn't it? Then it became about people withholding "likes" because of their jealousy. Which really hit a nerve with me. Probably mainly because I covet the high schoolers that top 100 with every post, but also because I didn't understand why that was a legitimate reason to not like something. "Oh, I'm jealous that they're doing this. So I'm not going to like it. Solidarity!!!" Pardon me? How is that even a thing? You can bet your bottom dollar that if I see a post that is either aesthetically pleasing to my eye, or that makes me feel joyful for a friend, I'm going to like it. (did I just throw shade at all the pics I don't like? #sorrynotsorry)

Originally I was going to write a conclusion paragraph at this point that would encourage anyone reading this to challenge the way they view social media. But within the past month I've had a few people tell me that my life looks so glamorous according to my accounts. I'm constantly travelling. I'm constantly going to concerts. I'm constantly out and about. This hit me a lot harder than I thought it would, mainly because I never anticipated that I would be the person that people were watching. There was a two week period in the last month where I didn't eat or sleep because I was having a rough time. I still went out to the shows I had bought tickets to and decided to have a rockin' good time because I couldn't just let my life stop. And I finally realized that I was living the life I had always envied. When I was in middle school I was envious of the kids that went to concerts all the time, and who went out to parties and posted all the pictures. They always looked like they were having so much fun. I wanted to be part of it, and it puts a smile on my face to think that I truly am as happy as I look in my photos. (Perks of Being a Wallflower reference... anyone?)

All that being said, I'm defending social media because I absolutely have my low moments that I would never in a million years snap a picture of and post for the world to see. Those moments are for me to work out with the support of those closest to me, not multiple random "followers". I'm defending social media because I know that the people posting the fun pictures have their moments of despair as well. I'm defending social media because maybe if we talk about it you can begin to view it as encouragement and a positive outlet. Mostly I'm defending social media because I lead a blessed life, and isn't that wonderful?