Navigating the Unreal Reality of Social Media

 

The world of instagram and YouTube is a funny thing – bloggers and vloggers alike choose an edit of the best/funniest part of their lives to show an audience for entertainment, YouTube is slightly less of a culprit as lots of vloggers show their vulnerability and “down days” but instagram is straight up awful at making people feel as though everyone else is leading a more care free, glamorous and beautiful life. I for one love that about instagram – I love the escapism of looking at my favourite bloggers over in Los Angeles and New York and watching their travels, if a brand is paying for their holiday to the Maldives I actually give them kudos – I would never resent or seethe in jealousy. This is because I know that behind the facade of instagram, no matter who you are and no matter how amazing things look from the outside, real life isn’t perfect. Sometimes it can be hard to stay positive, little niggling things can get you down, some people have far greater problems that they totally conceal which is why one should never judge or give in to (what I arguably find the worst and most common out of the 7 sins) envy/jealousy.

Snapchat has brought down…let’s call it the blogger’s fourth wall even further, by showing live clips of beautiful scenery, funny dinners, mouth watering cocktails and an array of shopping bags. And again, I give kudos to snapchatters – they are selling a lifestyle, they could find beauty on a walk to the dentist and to the dry cleaners to snap. What this rambly post is trying to get across is that real life isn’t perfect like instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. People have struggles and obstacles and friends and family to navigate as well as a whole host of other curve balls that life can throw at you. The trick is, and heck, why I absolutely love instagram, is that even with the real stresses of daily life, instagrammers and bloggers alike are able to find the beauty. I don’t see it as fake, I see it as the perfect edit of escapism.

The people who surrender themselves easily to envy and jealousy are usually the ones least happy with their own lives and who struggle to see the positive side. I have been plagued with worry and obsessive thoughts since childhood and I can’t lie – I am jealous of those who can shrug worries off and fall asleep the second their head hits the pillow. I’ve learnt to deal with my worry through perusing instagram and other social media – enjoying the care free beauty of life. In another life I was a political campaigner – working on two elections concurrently with my A levels and completing my university degree so therefore I split my procrastination time sifting through not only blogs/YouTube/snapchat and instagram but also a plethora of news websites and political blogs. Let me tell you that there is enough negativity, tragedy and stress in the world, instead of letting the glamour of other people’s lives bring you down (and again – I assure you that their lives aren’t anywhere near as perfect as you’d imagine) let it lift you. It may not be as high brow or mentally stimulating as visiting the National but let me tell you, the way it makes you feel shouldn’t be too dissimilar.