Last week we touched on social media in the making an impact discussion. The truth of the matter is that with the emergence of social media comes the emergence of many great things. Social media has allowed users to get updated very quickly on emerging trends all over the world, it has helped people to build up a brand, and it has also made it easier to connect to friends and family everywhere.
However, there are many downsides to social media, for example, the way in which news can spread so quickly and go viral can be challenging, particularly before the truth is known, by then the damage may have already be done. Potentially everybody on these platforms have become editors, yet no-one is an editor, in other words, people can write what they want without it being authenticated – these platforms do not tend to be as regulated as with traditional media.
Another disadvantage of these platforms can be the lack of the emotional connection, social media has created an outlet for cyber bullying and given people a license to be hurtful and hateful. This can create a level of anxiety, studies have shown that the longer someone spends on social media the more it increases one’s chances of feeling stressed, anxious or even depressed.
Especially as some people have created an inauthentic self, giving way to people to make unrealistic comparisons, I say unrealistic because some celebrities have been outed for photoshopping the images that they post, the intention is to give an impression of perfection, meanwhile it had to be edited to be achieved.
A study by Slater, Varsani, and Diedrichs (2017) showed that Instagram can affect mood and body satisfaction positively. https://verywellwiki.com/popular/what-are-5-positive-effects-of-social-media/ Specifically, Instagram posts containing self-compassion quotes (for example “Be gentle with yourself”) had a positive impact on women’s body image, level of self-compassion and mood.
There is a moral to the above and that is when pursuing your goals, do not be distracted by the gossips, viral news, trends, or the perceived lives of others. Stay in your lane, stay focused and follow your own true path.
