By: Elise Stefankiewicz
Instagram is our highlight reel. We control what we post, and most of what we post is the best photos of us or the best experiences we have. It is all filtered to our approval. When we look at Instagram as more than just a creative outlet, that is when it becomes toxic. We can easily assume that everyone’s lives are better than ours because of what they post on the internet; however, behind every post lies a story that we are not aware of. For example, someone could post a picture on a family hike and we would not know by looking at that photo that the family fought the whole way up the mountain. Instagram is a highlight reel. We only post what we want other people to see. Once we can wrap our heads around the fact that no one is perfect and everyone has their struggles, we can begin to have a much more open and less consuming experience posting on social media.
Is there a solution to internet toxicity? The short answer is no. Social media allows people to share their lives, which leads to constant comparison. This whole concept has been proven to cause depression in teens today. We need to stop letting social media consume our everyday lives because this aspect of our lives is not going away. Subconsciously, I will compare myself to what other people post, whether it is their relationships, style, vacations, or the things they experience. It is inevitable to see a post and compare yourself or get jealous of how someone else is living on their Instagram. However, it is imperative that we look at these apps at a surface level and enjoy the content, take inspiration from it, and move on.
Instagram does not have to be toxic if we don’t make it that way. There is a lot of creativity involved in creating an illusion on Instagram. Whether that is posting photos of fashion, books, places you travel, art, whatever it may be, there is an undeniable art in organizing your Instagram to match who you are. It is a creative thing that can also be exciting. I enjoy taking and posting photos on Instagram. For me, putting together outfits or capturing a moment with friends is a creative outlet. Even just seeing something that I think is pretty and taking a photo of it, then posting it, is something I find joy in; however, it gets taken too far when you are obsessed with your Instagram as a whole.
It is easy to get consumed by the content on any social media app, so we need to find a balance between using it as a creative outlet and letting it consume us. We need to find ways to distance ourselves from it when we feel it getting too much. We need to stop comparing ourselves to the things we see on social media. Reduce your time on social media. Try to figure out why you are making comparisons. Be grateful for what you have. No one is perfect and there is something that we do not know about everyone. Instagram is just an illusion.
No comments:
Post a Comment