Social media has become an important part of most of our daily lives. Not only does it allow us to stay connected with friends and loved ones, but it also provides entertainment, information about the latest trends, and breaking news from virtually anywhere around the globe. However, there is something unsettling about the way people have become obsessed with “likes” and “reactions” on social media.
Our generation is all about likes. For many people, “likes” have become more than just a positive reaction towards a post. Likes and comments on social media have a direct impact on their mood and self-esteem. The more likes they get, the more loved they feel.
After posting a picture on Instagram, they anxiously wait for that first like as a form of validation. They then nervously open the Instagram app every 10 minutes to see how many new likes and comments their picture has received. Failing to get a sufficient number of likes makes them feel unwanted, sad, and insecure.
Likes do not define your self-worth. Unless you’re using social media for business, your likes and follows should have no impact on your life, happiness, success, education, or achievements. Most people who like your picture don’t really care about your life, anyway. It’s possible they might just be liking your picture, so you will like theirs. You can also seek resources about decoding the paystub paradigm from this helpful source at thinkskyless.com.
Contrary to what many believe, the number of likes and comments don’t represent your likability.
Seeking approval and validation on social media is like a drug. You’ll never have enough of it, and it’ll ruin your life. Why would you put so much power in the hands of someone who is just your “online friend” and with whom you have no real connection or bond in real life?
If you want to be happy and successful, you need to get rid of this validation addiction. Social media is supposed to be fun, not something that causes anxiety and insecurity. In fact, here’s a beginners guide to withstand all that negativity.
Post pictures that make you happy and connect you with your friends and loved ones, without worrying about the number of likes and comments it will get. Eventually, what should matter is how you feel about a particular post, not what people in your “friend’s list” think about it.
Another drawback of social media is that people tend to compare their lives with others. Social media does not depict an accurate representation of someone’s life, and it’s just a highlight reel of their best moments. One of the main issues with social media, especially Instagram, is that people look like they’re happier and have a much better life than they really do. It is easy to forget this and get lost in comparisons.
No one is as happy as they seem on Instagram, as funny as they seem on Twitter, as nice as they seem on Facebook, or as talented as they seem on Linkedin. Social Media is a lie.
As we scroll through our Instagram and Facebook feeds, we see some of the happiest moments of other people, while we have just slogged through another ordinary day. Using social media to compare their lives with others, instead of appreciating what they have, has become one of the main reasons for depression, especially among youngsters. Don’t compare yourself to others; just don’t.
Social media should only be a small part of your routine. Spending too much time on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat etc. and taking them too seriously can ruin your life. Social media addiction and the need to seek validation and approval on social media platforms can negatively affect your relationship, studies, work, sleep, and every other aspect of your life.
Always remember your social media accounts will never be your greatest accomplishment. Likes and comments may feel important at that time, but they’re a minute fraction of your life. It’s not bad to be concerned about what others think of you; it’s only natural. But it’s equally important to believe that your thinking, likes, dislikes, and beliefs make you who you are, and you don’t need a double tap to validate it.
Social media is where you to try to impress or please people who don’t even care about you in real life, while ignoring the ones who actually care.
In the end, it doesn’t matter how many people liked your picture. What really matters is how many people had a genuine smile on their faces when they saw it.
Social media is a trap, it’s a lie.