Social media refers to interaction among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.[1] Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define social media as "a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content."[2] Furthermore, social media depend on mobile and web-based technologies to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content. They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between organizations, communities, and individuals. (Credits to Wikipedia)
So the 3 common social media platform, to me at least, are Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If I were to rank them in terms of my usage, I would rank Instagram as number 1 followed by Facebook and lastly Twitter. I only created a twitter account solely for the purpose of following other people's threads and have not uploaded anything of my own. I do check Facebook and Instagram everyday but I tend to post more on Instagram then on Facebook and also prefer to check my Instagram account as well. Probably because as the famous saying goes "a picture speaks a thousand words" and I am definitely more of a visual person.
It has been reported that the amount of time people spend on social media these days is kind of ridiculous which I gotta agree. Thankfully I'm not and I can safely say that my time on social media probably adds up to about an hour or so and not in one stretch but across the entire day. Honestly, my mobile phone serves 6 purpose to me. Making calls, messaging, listening to songs, watching shows, taking pictures and serving the net/social media. Checking on Instagram and Facebook serves as distraction time for me or a way for me to kill time. And of course, to snoop on others. Come on, I am pretty sure almost everyone is guilty of using these platforms to snoop on friends, enemies, potential bf/gf, bg/gf or exs.
Which is actually the main reason why I kinda hate social media. The ability to use these platforms and discreetly snoop on others can at times drive me crazy especially when it comes to exs. Finding out online that your ex has gotten attached with another girl whom you feel is much prettier than you can take a stab to your emotions and make you feel like shit. Well, it does for me anyway. One can try not to search and not find out about such things, but how can one resist! If anyone has a way to stop me from snooping on my exs, I would jolly love to know how to cos honestly, I can't and it drives me crazy at times. What's worse is when you start comparing your relationship to what you SEE via the pictures or status and you start thinking why their relationship is much better than yours or whatever other nonsense you can think about. Doesn't help that I kinda have an over imaginative mind and tend to dwell further in what I have seen.
In such cases, I truly hate social media and have half a mind to delete my account and be the end of it. Of cos, the accounts can still be search and all so it doesn't really matter but the drift is there. Sometimes it also doesn't help when your friends start posting happy pictures about themselves, or you see statuses of people getting into relationships, getting married or having kids and you start wondering what about you. That sort of times is also another instance when I wonder why in the world do I bother with such platforms at all.
But I guess I need to look at it in another way. For starters, I need to learn the art of letting go. I believe that the only reason why seeing my ex with another girl bothers me is due to the fact that I have not totally let go. And to be perfectly honest, I think I will never be really able to. Unless of cos I find my right one and he sweeps me off my feet and makes me not give a dam about anyone else. Lol. I guess its a bittersweet feeling knowing your ex has found someone else. As much as you want to wish them all the best and hope it works out for them, a part of you wish that it doesn't. And if that part exists, it means one has yet to truly let go. So I need to work on my letting go skills and stop letting such things affect me cos it is dam unhealthy.
Another lesson and albeit a very important one is to stop comparing with other people. Stop comparing my life with others. People tend to only post the happy things online because who wants to air their dirty laundry for all to see. So no one will truly know what goes on in ones life. So why compare your life to theirs. Everything happens for a reason and doesn't mean that if they have managed to find a happily ever after, I won't be able to find mine too. Hence, there isn't a reason to compare because...
One should be contented with what they have. The grass may be greener on the other side but if one can be contented and grateful with everything in their lives, they will realize that their pasture is as green or even greener compared to others.
So, if I were to be able to put the above 3 lessons into practice, I gotta say I love social media because it helps me connect with friends and it helps pass time.
To the creators of social media, here's a big thank you from a 20 something female! Cheers! =)
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