Social Media: the doors it has closed, and why it’s slowly ruining authenticity
I would like to begin by stating that I have a Twitter handle, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Wordpress Blog, Google + (even though I still have no idea how the fuck it works), and Pinterest account. In fact, many would even consider me to be somewhat of a social media whore. I won’t deny it, either; I am an avid user of many of these sites. Furthermore, not only do I use them, I understand the power they possess and the domino effect social media has had on so many levels that exploring the different ways will make your head explode. It wasn’t until just recently, though, that I began to start viewing the major cons these sites have embarked upon my life and probably yours too. Here are some of the reasons that social media sites/apps actually kind of suck:
They allow you to stay connected…to a shitload of people you had probably hoped/expected you’d never have to encounter again past the torturous years of high school. High School is a place where your circle of friends, let’s face it, are the best you could find using what you had. You didn’t get to choose where you lived, where you would attend school. You didn’t venture out when you were five to local dive bars or to yoga class or the supermarket to find like-minded other five year olds you could add into your social circle. No. You were dealt some cards; some get lucky hands and end up marrying one of those cards, some stay friends with those cards forever. The rest of us just have to see our card’s political opinions, engagement photos, learn how the pediatrician appointment went for their child you’ve seen photographed frequently, not by a professional, but with an iPhone, Instagram filter, and stolen pose/setting from a photo taken by an actual professional photographer who’s work was stolen and pinned on Pinterest.
They allow un-creative people to pretend that they are creative (maybe even take credit for it). Don’t get me wrong, I find Pinterest to be an incredible tool for inspiration and ideas for anything from home decor to recipes to daily workouts. What bothers me, though, is the fact that so much of what was created by the artists of the world is now accessible to anyone. In the past couple of years, this has created a domino effect where the work that was once upon a time authentic, original, and ground-breaking becomes a trend overnight and appears in every wedding album, baby book, holiday party, or hair salon. Pinterest has made it too easy for non-creative types to fake something that comes natural to some very gifted individuals who pride themselves on their vision and execution of the art of their craft.
They could cost you your job. Once upon a time, venting after work during happy hour or partying on the weekend was safe. Having an opinion used to be safe. Now, if we want to maintain our careers, we are forced to be mindful of what we are publishing to the public. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be pretty horrified if I saw my doctor tagged in photos at 2:22 AM eating tacos and ripping tequila shots if I was scheduled for an operation or something the next morning. What’s upsetting is having to maintain a professional image outside of the walls of your employer, as that free time is precious and how we spend it or who we are outside of those walls shouldn’t really make a difference, providing the job we do during business hours is done well.
Everyone knows what you’re up to. And I mean everyone. Our identities become our latest status update or the photos we are tagged in. My friend went to her Obgyn the other day and her Ultrasound Technician turned out to be the mother of someone we went to high school with. Their small talk consisted of facts they had known about one another via Facebook and Instagram. That’s when we want to sit and really assess what we are getting out of these sites. Are they merely narcissistic outlets to prove to our old acquaintances and the like how well we are doing? A place to show off your photos that look like every wedding/new baby photo board on Pinterest? Do I really care what most of the people in my newsfeed have to say? No. Do I want them to care what I have to say? No.
All of that said, I am guilty of indulging in everything mentioned above. I post on Facebook, mostly for my own entertainment, often going on a diatribe of sorts about an outrageous encounter with a patron at Starbucks or a picture of the food I ordered from wherever I want to tell people about, with filters and hashtags and the whole nine. You’ll even find some selfies I shamefully throw in when I’m feeling pretty and want to show what I’m up to which is usually drinking wine, listening to music, and not having babies. But, I am posting for an audience…just not sure it’s the audience I wanted to attract. And certainly not anyone I’d want to join for a cup of coffee to catch up with and see what they’ve been up to. Besides, if they’re in my newsfeed, I probably already know.