“What screws us up is thinking everyone is having the time of their lives.
Midnight Thoughts (from a friend who shall be unnamed).
They’re not.
Social media has been the catalyst of jealous behavior over illusions.
Sadly, some are envious of THINGS.
Relationships.
Lifestyles.
That don’t really even exist.”
“What screws us up is thinking everyone is having the time of their lives.”
I read this in the morning on my way to work. The post needed some attention, so I stopped to read it over a few more times. In my head, I could only conjure up a few words:
“She’s right.”
Filters, angles, and fabricated environments. Each photo on Instagram shows a snapshot of the entire story that we don’t get to see.
We don’t see the headache of planning the trip, the windy air, and rain, the arguments that ensued ten minutes prior, or Uber that was missed.
Instead, we see a sensual pose on a mountainous ledge that bestows the city skylight as if that accurately summed up the entire experience.
What we often feel inside when we look at a photo is usually something along the lines of, “I wish I were there” or “I wish I had that,” entirely missing the fantastic life you’re a part of at that very moment.
Before you judge a book by its cover, remember that there’s always a story behind it that you may not have wanted to be a part of.
“Social media has been the catalyst of jealous behavior over illusions.”
Each Instagram post you look at from someone else makes you feel like you need even more in your life.
I know the photo’s my friend posts aren’t all as cracked up to be. They’re entirely fabricated when looking the entire picture.
How do I know? I was there.
I’m not saying that all her Instagram photos are intended to be fake, but she isn’t going to post a picture on her bad side or looking like she’s about to sneeze.
During a quiet Saturday afternoon, we walked through an uninteresting museum. Eventually, she stumbled upon a piece of art that she thought would be a great background.
Sure enough, I had to make sure the angles were right, the pose was on point, and the photo wasn’t blurry.
#MySaturdayNightVsYourSaturdayNight
Perceived Instagram Reality: A fun museum adventure.
Reality: “I gotta pee so badly, where’s the restroom? I’m so tired right now; I wanna take a nap.”
“Sadly, some are envious of THINGS. Relationships. Lifestyles.
That don’t really even exist.”
Gary Vee, or, Gary Vaynerchuk, the online social media guru of our day has mentioned this time and time again:
“Faking your photos to captivate your oblivious audience for that particular moment. What’s going to happen when confronted in person?”
(something along those lines, sorry Gary).
I have a friend who’s girlfriend and him have fought so much it hurts my brain thinking about it. On Instagram, their relationship looks like flowers and sunshine, because, who in their right mind wants to post their arguments?
Once again, when you see something on Instagram, analyze and see it with critical eyes. Determine for yourself, what’s the real story behind this?
DON’T allow your heart to be envious of things that don’t show the full picture.
Maybe they are young, pretty and rich with their breast out with a flashy Lamborghini in the background, but they have a toxic lifestyle that will get them killed by age thirty-five.
Maybe they look like they’re having fun in France but their relationship is in constant turmoil, and the boyfriend is ready to leave his girlfriend at the right moment.
What TRULY exists in your life?
There’s no correct way to post, and I’m not knocking on that. Who am I to say what you can and can’t post?
What I AM criticizing is HOW you look at Instagram photos.
Don’t let the photos fool you. You’re better than that.
Before you allow that photo to throw you into depression, anxieties over your own life, or just overall ungrateful, know first that Instagram is fabricated, nothing is 100% accurate.
Second, realize that you have so much more in your life than you think – BE GRATEFUL. If you’re even looking at Instagram, I know that you’re in a good place in life. You shouldn’t allow Instagram to take that happiness away from you.
Side note:
But I would like to include if you do want to post something great. Post a great photo of what you’ve learned. Think about how you can bring value to others. Tell a great story based on the reality of the situation.
The Quiet Onez 