Chapter 7: Not “Media” Perfect

For years, I have struggled dealing with my self-esteem. Somedays, I am extremely confident in the way I look, act, speak, etc. While other days, I am completely down in the dumps, struggling to get out of bed.

I know many individuals who have the same struggles as I do but we never look at what could be the true reason behind those struggles.

Some people may state that their emotions are like a roller coaster due to stress, yet younger individuals can not realize that a main cause of their self-esteem to be going bonkers is social media.

Social media is the common place where information is shared about how your life is, what you are doing, who you are hanging out with and where you are traveling to. Yet each post that is shared can be effecting the way others are viewing themselves.

Obviously, it goes without saying, that you are free to post whatever your little heart desires. That’s the freedom of social media.

But with younger generations, social media is everything.

It is their way of “keeping up with the Joneses” and staying in touch with their friends and updated with the new trends they aim to follow. Social media has become their tool to seeing into their futures.

Sounds perfect, right? Wrong.

According to Clarissa Silva, “60% of people using social media reported that it has impacted their self-esteem in a negative way” (Silva). This fact is only based on ages 28-73 who are active social media users. Now imagine if we opened that study to people who are 20-73 years old? 15-73 years old? 10-73 years old? That number would only increase with the younger generations being added to the study. They have dedicate their lives to social media and the opinions that come along with it.

Over the years, social media has painted this perfect picture of how life should be but within each perfection comes the unrealistic standard that is impossible to reach. Our world has grown and adapted to comparisons of one-self to those who we feel closest to. Due to this adapted trait, our society has changed something that was a free time activity into a chore and competition amongst friends.

We post photos and statues just to let our friends and family know that we are doing awesome – even if that is far from true.

Before you post your next candid photo captioned “all smiles”, stop and think about your true emotions behind the photo. Are you truly happy? Are you posting for your own pleasure? Are you trying to keep up an image of yourself for your followers?

Rae Jacobson states that, “After a recent spate of college suicides, researchers at Stanford University coined that phrase ‘duck syndrome'” (Jacobson) This term compares students to ducks on a pond. From the top, the duck looks calm and relaxed floating on the water yet when you look from underneath, the duck’s feet are working in high gear to stay afloat. She then continues, “Several students who have died had projected a perfect image on social media – their feeds packed with inspirational quotes and filtered images showing an attractive, happy kid who seemed to excel with minimal effort. But behind the digital curtain they were struggling emotionally.” (Jacobson)

With social media continuing to grow as the days move forward, we need to reassure our friends and family that they are beautiful – inside and out.

Acceptance has become the temporary key to happiness.

Yet reassurance has the capability to unlock the door forever.

It allows oneself to believe that they are beautiful – unedited and unfiltered – regardless of the unreachable standards they see on social media.

-Joanna Bavuso