I use social media to connect with people and see what everyone is up to. Everyone always has such interesting stories that I can enjoy reading. I also understand that these perfect images have their downsides and that some people feel very insecure because of them. It’s just important to realise that online is not the same as reality; these are actually two different worlds that are very close to each other, but that’s why they’re so difficult to distinguish.
When you post something online, everyone can see it. It makes sense that people post nice things, because why would you burden other people with your problems? Online, you are basically the “best” version of yourself. People who see this and are already a little insecure about themselves are pushed further and further into that pit of insecurity. I sometimes feel lonely or insecure myself, and then it doesn’t help when you see all your friends doing fun things online. Because then I want that too. This isn’t a nice feeling to be left with, especially since social media is meant to be a fun tool and something that should make you happy. So sometimes it’s a bit contrary to the original purpose of the whole platform.
It’s normal to post the fun things online, because that’s what makes you happy at that moment and you can share it with your friends online. But you just have to realise that the people behind these profiles are just people like you and me and that they also have negative components in their lives. Online, they try to show a positive and happy side of themselves, but you should know that every person has multiple sides and sometimes they can hide behind a mask on social media and only show the positive aspects.
I think many people only share positive things on social media to protect themselves. If you share things that are not going well for you or that you are struggling with, you are also a lot more vulnerable. If other people know personal things about you, you are like an open book to the outside world and anyone can easily form an opinion about it or take advantage of it. They can always fall back on this and hit you very hard with it.
So it’s extremely difficult to find the right balance here. What do you share and what don’t you share, and how do people react to this? Personally, I tend to be more protective and try not to share much online, especially things that aren’t about me personally, but more general things. That way, people can’t find out personal things about you and therefore can’t judge you harshly. You have more control over what everyone knows about you, you simply talk to people and they will find out. However, everything you post online is visible to many other people, which makes you much more vulnerable.
Sources:
Hutchinson, A. (2024, 12 september). Report Looks at the Positives and Negatives of Social Media Usage [Infographic]. Social Media Today. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/report-looks-positives-negatives-of-social-media-usage/726932/
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