An outlook on Social Media February 28 2018

I’m in this weird space where I want to delete social media, but can’t because it’s how I keep my company going and how I am able to share thoughts like this with you.

We live in a wild time here on Earth. Everything you need is at your fingertips. Everyone from the ages of 10 to 12 (which is absolutely insane to me) and up have a cell phone. The internet is one of the most powerful things that everyone has and everyone is using. There is a saying that “the internet is undefeated,” and it is because you cannot hide anything on here. Privacy is at an all time low, but the power of the internet is great because we can set up small businesses, we can shop, and we get to use google to look up literally anything we have questions about - the ultimate argument ender. The options are pretty limitless. The internet is like a drug, we get addicted to it. Addicted to the likes, the shares, the comments, etc. The instant gratification of someone "liking" something we've posted.

I believe people get on the internet to show off their lives and showcase all of the great things they do, which is great. Live your life. Do whatever makes you happy. The difference is you’re not always happy, I don’t care who you are. Life gives all of us challenges, but the hardships aren’t popular, and we don’t want people to know that our lives aren’t perfect. We’re stuck behind these ideas that people who “follow” us or our “friends” on social media, that their opinions matter. Who gives a shit? If you’re happy with your life, then that is all that matters. If you aren’t happy with it, change something because you’re in control of it. I hate sitting places and hearing conversations based on “so and so saying something on Facebook” because it doesn’t matter. Most people have these wild opinions and spout them to the internet, but wouldn’t dare say them in a public setting. This world is losing its ability to have normal conversations and interact with each other on a day to day basis. It’s so bad that if you’re at a bar and strike up a conversation with the opposite sex, you’re automatically flirting, which isn’t the case (all the time).

People get lost looking at these pictures of people “living their best life,” and they got lost in this thought that they wish they were doing that and get down on themselves to the point that they feel lonely or depressed. The people who are constantly posting pictures of their significant others aren’t necessarily the happiest in all cases because, believe it or not, photos can lie. There are some who are genuinely happy and love nothing more than showing their better half off and that is a beautiful thing, but your relationship’s happiness shouldn’t be based on how many pictures you post of each other on social media. The world’s view on your relationship or life does not matter in any aspect, as long as you are enjoying this beautiful life you’ve been given. We can get caught up in these moments and think “man, I really wish that was me.” The fact of the matter is that you have to be patient and wait for your own genuine happiness to come around, and when it does, you have to fully embrace it without taking it for granted. You’re in control of the things God allows you to be in control of, and that is what you have to take charge of. You’ve got to have the “grab life by the horns” mentality.

We all have these robotic answers to everything when we run into strangers. When people ask how we’re doing, everyone always says “Good! How about you?” and I’m guilty, too, but what if we all took a look and actually tried to understand each other, instead of going through the motions. I was at my uncle’s funeral a couple of weeks ago (not looking for sympathy) and I kept overhearing people say “It’s good to see you, but it’s a shame we’re seeing each other under these circumstances”. This is true. Given the circumstances, it is awful, but they don’t mean it, and if they do mean it, they can easily change that by picking up the phone and making it happen. We aren’t promised tomorrow, and with that, you should reach out to someone if they cross your mind just to let them know that you’re thinking about them.

On the other hand, we’ve got these companies who use social media to market/promote their brands. It’s absolutely genius and you’d be an idiot not to take advantage of the platform that has been given to us and use it. It’s free advertising, unless you put money into it to get in front of a bigger audience.

The moral of this entire thing is that you should live the life you want to live and not judge it off of someone else’s social media presence. I don’t want to come off as a negative Nancy, I just want this world to be a happier place. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU3R0ot18bg

Check this video out if you have some extra time. Simon Sinek is the real deal, I've read several of his books and I keep up some of his interviews like this one. This particular one I saw a while back and it really sums up this social media, internet thing. The numbness to real feelings. 

Don’t worry about the boats other people have, float your boat!

Kaleb