Oh Social Media, How I Love-Hate You!

Now that I'm home for the holidays, I've had a whole lotta time to catch up with friends, get through my to-do list, listen to podcasts I've been putting off, watch movies I've wanted to see, etc. I've also been on Instagram and Facebook a whole lot, and am constantly reminded of why I "shut down" my Facebook account a few years ago (that stuff never goes away, does it?!) 

Anyone who knows me know that I'm as honest and direct as they come. I have a very low tolerance for the BS. My time is much too precious for that. This past weekend I realized that Facebook and Instagram (I'm not a Twitter-er) are nothing but a highlight reel of people's lives. I have a friend whose FB/IG life is NOTHING like her real life. And I get it, who wants to post their struggles, weaknesses, mistakes or limitations on the big, bad world wide web? Nevertheless, I think that people take to FB or IG in this sort of "My Life is Better than Yours" competition that's truly sad. What's more, FB/IG has become the go-to platform to verify facts and put the stamp of "realness" on life events. Has FB/IG become the social media version of Wikipedia? 

On the other hand, I've also seen how folks use FB/IG to promote their businesses, ideas, movements, and to simply keep in touch with people near and far. I can't say that these social platforms are the devil. This simply isn't true. I think they are a powerful vehicle to brand yourself and market whatever product you are pushing. There are definitely huge perks to being on these social sites. 

It's just a shame to see how some folks use social media to become delusional. Stop comparing yourself to someone's highlight reel. You'll never measure up.

Just my two cents. 

(PS - this is not as a result of someone saying something or doing something to me on a social media site. This is purely my opinion based on things I've seen)