Few weeks back, Essena O'Neill, an Australian model/instagrammer, started announcing about this "online campaign" that calls for people to actually reveal the truth behind social media, calling social media a lie.
When I first read it, I actually acknowledge the captions she put up behind all those pictures she posted.
To me, it was really true at some point.
But then, what you choose to show in your social media is entirely your own choice, decisions and definitely your responsibilities.
She didn't need to do all that, she could have put up the true, brutal, sarcastic yet real captions instead, sure she might not get the followers she did before, but I'm sure she'll be much more comfortable instead of being sad and angry of all the pretty pictures we've been looking at.
People said she did it for attention, some agreed, some back lashed, some said she was immature.....
The last time I checked, she was out of the social media loop. At least on instagram.
I guess now she knows better of the responsibilities that she should bare on whatever she puts up online.
I joined the whole social media hype back in 2009.
I was never really addicted until I found the unicorn land of social media, tumblr.
I was hooked on and I got followers by just reblogging things I love.
I forgot was it KPOP first, or tumblr first.
But tumblr was the social media platform that I meet most of my online friends, and it was the platform that made me learnt the crazy html codes. Hahahaha. I can't do them well anymore now.I also learnt on how to edit pictures, use software like Photofilter and Photoscape. And then I learned to do gifs, I even set up a blog entirely for Minzy and 2NE1.
Right now I still have three blogs on Tumblr. I got over my addiction ever since I entered the university because it really did used up a lot of my data and I need to save my data for assignments.
I know how social media addiction feels like.
I do have it, even up to now, but sometimes I really think it's overboard.
And Essena's quote : We are a brainwashed generation.
To some point, I actually acknowledged what she said as well.
Seriously.
I have been teaching since 2009 as well, and I have kids that have already entered secondary school and she has been announcing EVERYTHING on Facebook.
Her relationships, her selfies with her friends IN SCHOOL, and all those..really nonsensical status updates.
Every time I read her statuses, I cringe.
I'm glad I'm in the early 1990's. Because then, social media was only starting.
If I were to be born a couple years later, I see myself as one of the youngsters now.
It's really scary how the technology have changed our lifestyles so much.
The youngsters now probably stopped reading a lot, and just check their Facebook for news.
Sneak (?) their phones to school and take selfies...
Like everything else just revolve around what I'm going to post online later.
We used to keep pictures, we used to put them up in photo albums.
Now we do it only in Facebook.
When you go out, you see people hanging out just to take a couple of nice pictures and shove it under peoples' throats by posting it up in instagram. After the posting done, they sit down there, not talking to each other and just checking updates on social networks.
I admit even I myself do it.
We all want nice pictures. We all want acknowledgement from people.
We all want to see the number of likes go up.
But I guess the longer you stay in social network, or the older you get, suddenly all those is unimportant anymore.
Nobody ever leaves comments on my blog, I still write.
I love writing!
And most of all, I'm a very nostalgic-kind of person. I love reading through my own entries about the past and laugh at myself.
I love the idea of journals. I have kept diaries ever since I was 7.
I don't get likes on every pictures I post on instagram, especially when it does not involve good lighting, great food, popular cafe.
I barely know any of my Tumblr followers (maybe around 10 yes) but I still post there.
No one reads my Twitter but I love babbling there because reading my own tweets is actually really entertaining.
Hahahaha.
Okay did that sum up to me being narcissist?
Maybe yes, but maybe I just really like mediums to express myself and not giving a damn about anyone else.
Hahahaha.
Social media, is actually just a media. To share about yourself.
Social network? They just give you a chance with people you barely meet everyday.
Don't take it too seriously man.
Life is not what you show on all your instagram.
Life is you, yourself, whether or not you post it up in instagram.
What's your thought?
What does social media actually means to you?