Dear social media, you have made me feel like my beauty is only valuable when I’m in your presence.
I remember when I first installed you. I was captivated with all of the functions you possessed. Filled with excitement for all that your social media page could offer me, I explored your features. One by one I uncovered the seemingly amazing qualities of your being. For the first week, I spent hours following people and tagging potential buys. You allowed me to connect with my friends and family, for better or for worse. As the second week of our relationship approached, I started to learn a little bit about your persona. Somehow, the curiosity I felt earlier faded into a notion of self-doubt and lack of confidence. With every post I saw, I began to compare my skin to theirs, my belongings to theirs, ultimately, I began to compare my life to theirs. All of the sudden, it became really difficult to see who was being honest and true with their images on your platform. Was the girl who posted pictures of her exercise journey on your page photoshopping her success, or did she truly have the flawless skin I wished for? Slowly, I became trapped inside your devices.
Upon much thought, I now realize that you see all of the pain and beauty in everyone’s posts. With every click you house smiles and sorrows. I cannot help but wonder what imperfections and flaws you see through your lens. Can you see the scar on my elbow from when I fell down the stairs when I was two? Can you see the obnoxious red eyes that are restless and tired from days of no sleep? Can you see the curly and kinky hair I spend hours trying to straighten? Somehow, I felt like I couldn’t show you who I truly was because your users had managed to turn what should be a place of encouragement, into a place of fear and hatred. Suddenly our relationship turned into one that required much attention. It seemed that I always had to dress a certain way and present myself in a certain fashion in order for our relationship to thrive. Whenever we met, I felt obligated to straighten my natural hair, wear branded clothes that were form fitting, put on heels that hurt my feet, and cover my face with makeup. In order to gain the attention of your followers, I thought about my post countless times before posting. After breaking up with you for some time, it has become clear that our relationship was toxic. I began to feel more confident after our part. I no longer searched for your approval or the approval of your users.
Dear social media, now I know that my beauty is from within and that I am worth much more than what I share with you.
For more information regarding the positives and negatives of social media please visit the following sources:
- https://carrierclinic.org/2019/08/08/the-good-bad-and-in-between-of-social-media/
- https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/social-media-good-bad-and-ugly
