Social Media Is...

Social media is like a competitive game where we vie for attention through likes, shares, and comments. It's a delicate dance between seeking fame and maintaining authenticity, leading us to post a mix of positive and negative stories.

During a visit to a picturesque garden with a friend, we took several beautiful photos. I was thrilled, anticipating the reactions of my Facebook friends once I shared these images. I was already imagining their comments and likes when I paused, phone in hand, staring at my reflection in the black screen. A sudden realization hit me: I was subconsciously guessing others' reactions and striving to present an idealized version of myself. "What's the point of posting these pictures?" I wondered. "Do they lose their meaning if they're not seen or liked by others?"

I struggled to find a satisfying answer. The idea that 'I post, therefore I am' had subtly infiltrated my thoughts. While I intended to share these moments with my parents to assure them of my well-being in America, I could easily do so privately. Caught in these reflections, I lost the urge to post the photos and felt relieved. I knew that engaging in the social media attention game would only entangle me more with an inauthentic online persona, allowing others' reactions to define me. I needed a gradual escape from this cycle.

At dinner that night with the same friend, the thought of changing my Facebook profile picture crossed my mind. I selected a nice photo on his phone to edit on my iPad, humming a tune as I worked.

"What are you doing!?" His voice, filled with surprise, jolted me.

"Just editing the picture to make it look better," I replied defensively, a hint of annoyance in my voice.

"Don't judge me," I added, trying to laugh off the awkwardness.

After a brief silence, he stated assertively, "You're already judging yourself."

He returned to his meal, leaving me to ponder his words. I realized I was judging myself, thinking the photoshopped version was more attractive than the real me. But isn't that what everyone does? I could always spot the subtle edits in others' photos. Yet, I felt pressured to join this game of presenting a flawless image, knowing full well that we were all just faking it. It's not outright lying, but presenting a selective view of our lives felt dishonest. His words inspired me to upload the original photo as my profile picture.

Social media taps into two aspects of human psychology: voyeurism and exhibitionism. Our natural curiosity drives us to observe others, adjusting our behaviors accordingly. This can be adaptive, but when exploited, it leads to endless scrolling, often wasting time and potentially causing fatigue or depression.

Since many people are scrolling, posts often have an audience, satisfying our desire to exhibit ourselves. As Maslow's hierarchy of needs suggests, attention, acknowledgment, and admiration are crucial for self-actualization. Social media makes it easy to manage how others perceive us by allowing us to control what we share. Even if our posts aren't actively engaged with, we always have an audience, fulfilling our dual roles as voyeurs and exhibitionists.

Numerous studies have shown the negative impact of social media on mental health, academic performance, and productivity. It becomes an easy escape from reality, leading to procrastination and a shift in cognitive processes – shorter attention spans, lower tolerance for boredom, and difficulties in deep, analytical thinking.

We should be masters of technology, not its slaves. We must resist becoming addicted to this game of attention, voyeurism, and exhibitionism and prevent it from altering our brain chemistry. The solution is simple yet profound:

Put down your phone. And read a book.

Thank you for your attention.