Social Media Authenticity
Being able to witness this progression of communication through social media has been interesting to say the least. Some days, I find it beautiful that people are able to connect with such ease and that the world is so much smaller. Other days, I’m taken aback by the lack of authenticity and consuming-ness of it all.
Watching social media connect different parts of the world and unite us as one force for issues such as: #MeToo, the farmers protest, Black Lives Matter, #PrayForPalestine, and so much more; is a beautiful thing. But it also has its downsides. Social media can turn into this portfolio of highly curated content that isn’t always accurate to what someone is going through.
I come across many people that obsess over the idea of putting out the most perfect photo, with the perfect caption and filter. I don’t blame them, we live in a world that is quick to judge and place their own assumptions and biases on another. But our lives are crafted through our experiences of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Trying to project an image of perfection is toxic to not only yourself but the people that follow you. According to Dr. Jacqueline Sperling at McLean Hospital, social media releases dopamine, which means that it has the tendency to mimic the effect that pleasurable activities such as eating food or social interaction have on people. There is also a boost in self-esteem when you feel a part of a community and are having multiple interactions a day. The toxicity comes in when we start comparing likes, followers, comments etc. The comparison of stats turns into comparing yourself to another person. You begin editing your photos to imitate that person’s feed and then eventually you’re portraying an image of someone who doesn’t reflect who you are.
Why is this important? Why can’t we all just be fake online?
Authenticity. When you bring your authentic self forward, you are bringing more of the humanity of who you are forward. For instance, people tend to see me as an angel, but I can be sassy, I can be moody, I have layers. When we’re seen through one lens, we start suppressing other parts of ourselves to fit that perception and in doing so we dislike those suppressed parts. As a society, we have to gravitate towards embracing who we really are. In doing so, we’re able to bring our true value forward. There is perfection in our imperfection. Fixating on these “imperfections” or differences, prevent us from seeing the beauty that is right in front of us.
Be yourself! We owe it to ourselves and this world, to bring that value forward.
If and when, you decide to post next, ask yourself: why am I doing this? Who is this for? Am I being my most authentic self? June 30 marks Social Media Day, let’s strive to be our most authentic selves!
