“It’s that because that phone is always in your damn hand.”
That’s all I heard growing up. As a part of Generation Z I'm one of a generation who grew up using social media and had the whole world in front of them at the click of a button. At first I loved it, being your average teenage girl I wanted to know what everyone was doing, all the time. I wanted to be connected to my friends 24/7. I lived in a constant state of FOMO, otherwise known as the fear of missing out. The world inside the four walls of my bedroom in a pretty insignificant town were boring. But the endless pockets of the internet were exciting. Places like Twitter and Tumblr effortlessly became an escape for my restless mind. Social media can very quickly become an addiction you don't even know you have.
www.centreformentalhealth.org reports: ‘FOMO has been linked to intensive social media use and is associated with lower mood and life satisfaction. We have become more aware of what we are missing out on, for example, seeing photos of friends having a good time together in one’s absence. ‘Always on’ communication technology can cause feelings of anxiety, loneliness and inadequacy...'
Despite the obvious downsides, I started to believe social media was an asset. I could be anyone, speak to anyone and explore new ideas. My mind doesn’t sleep but neither does the internet. We’re the perfect match. But it’s taken me nearly 21 years to realise it isn’t all as good as it seems.
The information overload is exhausting. Seeing every moment of someone else’s life, misinformation spreads like wildfire, scandalous content thrives over anything genuine. How many times has a post of mine been sent to a group chat? Probably so many times I don’t even care anymore. Even the online world is getting sick of influencer culture - bikini photos with a 20% off promo code for some brand that probably dropships off Ali Express.
Also, now that 24/7 communication is an option many people feel entitled to it. I guess it's the new normal expectation for keeping in contact.
‘Why didn’t you text me back?’
‘Posting but you can’t reply to my text?’
‘Don’t you know future employers check all your social media? You have to be professional.’
Then obviously there’s body image, social media is an industry that decides what beauty is, which size and shape nose, hips and lips are in and if they can make that standard unattainable and expensive, they have an opportunity to make a profit off your insecurities.
Most insecurities are born when someone tells you there’s something wrong with yourself. Your nose, your cellulite, your hip dips. What better way to gain clients than to overload them with a beauty ideal they’ll never reach?
www.centreformentalhealth.org says: ‘The 24/7 circulation of easily viewable manipulated images promotes and entrenches unrealistic expectations of how young people should look and behave. When these expectations are inevitably not met, the impact on self-esteem can be damaging, to the disturbing extent that the Royal Society of Public Health recently found 9 in 10 young females say that they are unhappy with the way they look.’
Oh and the influencers... A lot of which once seemed inspiring and relatable now feel shallow and boring. It's like there's a rigid model for influencer success that is replicated time and time again by aspiring influencers that is beginning to become painfully inauthentic. Que Hello Fresh sponsorship.
I wish there was an opt out button. And there is of course, but then you fall behind. Ah, FOMO. But actually, is there an opt out button? When university courses, job opportunities and portfolios are all online I would be stupid to delete my social media profiles. It would be impossible to build up a portfolio and personal brand. It's the life of a student journalist but in all honesty I still love it.
Although I will probably never leave my hot and cold relationship with social media, I've realised that sometimes true peace is being in a room that your phone isn't.
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