Social Media: The Village Square
Let’s face it, in today’s information age, social media has become the new village square. Moreover, the increase in popularity of the various platforms has provided people with a myriad of opportunities to connect and reconnect in ways that they never could before. Through the various networks, people have been able to reunite with family and friends, reignite lost love, find new love, establish and promote business ventures, and much more.
The Down Side of the Net
While there are positive aspects to our new virtual village square, social media also has several downsides. One of its greatest pitfalls is its potential to create a reservoir for some of our most base inclinations (e.g., envy, hubris, braggadocio, fear, inferiority complexes, etc.).
Social media is often an amalgamation of smoke and mirrors—a mirage. Many of the personal pages are well-crafted public-relations campaigns—skewed representations of the people they reflect. These account feeds are filled with highlight reels of grossly embellished standards and unattainable ideals.
Reality vs. Depiction
In reality, the idea of human perfection is a fallacy. There are no ideal times, places, situations, or people. Additionally, there is no universal life manual. God called each person to run his or her individual race. He called to sprint, while others He called to jog or crawl. For example, in track and field, the 100-meter event is a short-distance competition where competitors dash toward the finish line. This particular race calls for an all-out sprint. On the contrary, the 800-meter race is a more measured marathon. It requires a steady pace. In fact, runners who exert all their energy at the beginning of this race seldom place first. While both the 100-meter and the 800-meter events attract some of the most talented athletes, each race requires different training and different skill sets.
Many social media influencers depict embellished lifestyles. Unfortunately, these ostentatious online portrayals stroke our insecurities, minimize our attributes, and erode our confidence. Additionally, the Internet has no shortage of experts who critique and always seem to know how others should best live their lives. In these virtual village squares, it seems as if many people are chasing shadows. So, how do we shadowbox with these impractical ideals?
A Few Tips for Overcoming Social-Media-Induced Insecurities
The following are a few simple tips that we should all remember the next time we attempt to compare ourselves to others on the Internet. First, we should learn and understand that our individuality is priceless. Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s masterpiece. In other words, God sees us as wonderful. Therefore, we should learn to love the skin we are in. Second, we should know that no one is perfect—not us, not our critics. Everyone in life is on a personal journey, and no one has uncovered the secret to life. Similarly, many of our Internet “idols” also struggle with their own insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. Lastly, all that glitters is not gold, and the cost of success is weighty. Are we willing to pay someone else’s cost for success, or are we willing to be patient and run our own race at our own pace?
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