While on a day-to-day basis, the content of this blog is pretty light, there is something that has been on my mind lately and I've decided that I want to touch on it. Bear with me. Here's the thing. I'm a self-proclaimed blogger. I have numerous social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. In this day and age, NOT having social media is found to be more strange than having it. Even before the modern-day apps were huge, there were options like Xanga and Live Journal to post thoughts, photos, and more. Having an internet presence is the norm. Following your favorite sports teams, show hosts, celebrities, and friends on social media is just what people do. Hell, my mom is even on social media at 60 years old.
I find myself wondering though, what is the purpose of social media? To create a digital scrapbook to be able to look back on past events easily? To share your life events with the world? To keep in contact with old friends? I'd say all of these things are true for me - to some extent. Where I find myself taking issue with my online presence is when I catch myself ruining an enjoyable moment by feeling like I NEED to take a photo or post an update about it, or worse, not taking a photo and feeling guilty about it afterward.
When Ben and I had our housewarming party last summer, we were so lucky in that we won a FeteBox. This allowed us to have the perfect fiesta for our family and friends. While putting things together for the party, I took a number of photos of the decorations and food, but once the party started, I put my phone down. I enjoyed time with my co-workers who had driven to town, I caught up with old friends who had taken time to come over, and maybe most importantly, I ate my tacos without feeling like I needed to take a picture before consumption. There are no pictures of me or anyone else at that party, and while that may seem sad, it was such a great day. Naturally, I felt guilty afterward because I had no proof that this good time had even transpired. I had no photos to provide to the owner of FeteBox to show how perfect her product was in the production of my housewarming party. I felt like I had let people down for not having pictures to post on social media - and that my friends is ludicrous.
If I'm to be honest, I'm having trouble finding the balance these days. As a blogger, I know that to market my brand I need to have social media. As a human, I want to delete most of my accounts and live my life. It is not my life's desire to live it through social media.
In conjunction with these thoughts, I want to touch on "selfies" for a moment because I feel they fall into a similar social media category. In reading around on the internet, I have seen a lot of posts centered around "selfie shaming." People condemning people for posting too many pictures of themselves on THEIR social media. People saying that the occasional selfie is fine, but too many is too much. People judging and berating people for taking pictures of themselves when they don't meet society's standard of beautiful. (If you're not model thin and gorgeous, you obviously do not have the right to take a selfie).
My immediate response to these ideas? THANK GOD THEY'RE NOT FRIENDS WITH ME ON SNAPCHAT. My logical, realistic, second response? Bull shit. As a woman, I have been told for my entire life that I need to love myself, love my body, LOVE MY CURVES. But THEN, when I have a day where I feel cute and take a selfie, instead of people acknowledging my self-love, I become a narcissist. I become selfish. I become conceited. All things, that most days, I hope people realize that I am not regardless of how many selfies I take and post on social media.
Overall, I enjoy social media. I'm not trying to bash the interfaces or purposes of these outlets. I just want you guys to know that it's okay to enjoy life and your experiences without taking pictures every five seconds. And when you do take those pictures, it's okay for them to be selfies.
Until next time. XXO.
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