Social media or Happiness and love?
“Hey! You haven’t liked my new post on Instagram”, said a person to his friend, whom he was meeting after a month long time. That’s how our relationships have been molded now-a-days, completely ONLINE.
We all love to share our beautiful moments of life on social media platforms. This has turned out to be a new trend of expressing our feelings and love for others too. But is this really a healthy way of expression that we are following? Have you ever given a thought to it, that as soon as something happens in our life, be it positive or negative, happy or sad, being in love or a heartbreak, we have an obsession to share it socially?
THE DARK NET
There is no second thought that internet and social media have proved to be beneficial since their inception. But what about their darker side? Every minute that we spend on social media; we harm our individual selves in one way or other. Stalking someone for fun or having a relatability with memes for hours can be a joyous drive. But starting with its short term effects, the constant use of social media can cause fatigue, lethargy, headache, eye strain, etc. along with other psychological problems which could be fatal. We all want to stay updated day and night, by checking statuses, posts, stories, etc. However, in the long term, this routine could turn to an addiction. Several studies show that nearly 78% people use social media just to build their image and to get a sense of fulfillment. Users post photos and videos to flaunt their lifestyle. When they do not get an expected response, it hits their mind negatively. This causes anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, etc. Even when checking on celebrities’ posts, many build a sense of inferiority for themselves. This is because they cannot live their lives as lavishly as theirs.
That is not the end of problems, social media poses many other threats to its users. One of the biggest can be “Cyber bullying”. Anyone can misuse social media platforms to blackmail others and to sabotage someone’s reputation. It is very common course of revenge among teenagers and high school students. The bullied ones are tortured physically and mentally which leads to ramifications. This can be as grave as suicidal attempts, depression, poor social skills, ADHD, low self-esteem among children and teenagers.
Slack Activism
There is no denying the fact that social media has provided us a platform to reach out to the masses in mere seconds. It has allowed us to raise our voice against social, political, ethical, and environmental ills. Now-a-days people think that they fulfill their duties as a citizen by just updating their Facebook status of these miseries of our society. Or re-tweeting about them or at the most signing a petition in order to bring a change. But the other side of the same coin reveals that it has slowly killed real activism. Now it is just ‘SlackActivism’ .While it increases awareness regarding social issues but the question is that whether this virtual voice brings some tangible change?
What can we do?
The biggest positive impact of social media is the distribution of information. We have access to everything on our small screen at the click of a button from each and every corner of the world. With every pro there is con. But accessing social media healthily, consciously and in a regulated manner can help see the benefits of the technology. We should use it at scheduled times so that it does not interfere with our studies and work. To control obsession, we can also try some productivity apps to limit our usage and access to certain apps and websites. We should not let our personal communications die and let this pseudo- communication control our thoughts and our life. There should always be a space for healthy communication with our friends, family and loved ones. Teenagers should discuss the problems that they face on social media with their parents, mentors, and teachers so as to avoid any kind of mishap or trouble that we might get in. We should always stay motivated and positive.We should not waste time arguing with strangers online.
So just scroll and surf but not at the cost of your happiness and love of your true relationships!
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