Life on social networks: tell me how much you publish and I will tell you what you lack

We have all been surprised at some point to see the extent to which some people go in the new media. They expose their lives, their thoughts, their most daily events on social networks like someone who draws back the curtain of their mind and reveals their own fears, their own shortcomings.

We must say first of all that new technologies and social networks are wonderful instruments that have enriched our lives. They unite people, shorten distances not to mention worlds, and offer us greater accessibility to new knowledge. However, as always happens, Any object in the hands of certain people obtains a specific use and purpose.

What is behind those people who need to publish their thoughts at every moment, or who, every few hours, upload a selfie in front of a mirror? Let’s talk about it today.

I want your attention, I want immediate gratification

With the arrival of social networks, a new interaction scenario has opened in which, it is not necessary to go out to talk, to share, to seduce or to exchange information with our friends.

Now there is a terrifying immediacy. There is no need to go down the stairs at home or take the bus. You can get ready, draw your best smile and take a photo that you instantly post on social networks.

And the reward is immediate. Within a few seconds, dozens, hundreds of “likes” or favorites appear. And that is something fabulous for those who need stimulation, immediate recognition and positive reinforcement that, in reality, is as brief as it is fleeting.

Hence, I repeat it again after hours, because obtaining these reinforcements is like an addiction. And because there will always be someone who will give you a second of attention, even if you don’t even know all the people who have left you a moment. “I like it”.

I share shortcomings, gaps and needs that I do not face

“I feel alone, I have been betrayed, today I am having a bad day, this world is not worth it, a certain person is selfish, no one understands me…”

You may have come across these statuses on many occasions on your social media walls. If they are your friends and you appreciate them, you will not have hesitated to pick up the phone or meet with him/her to find out what is happening, and help.

Nevertheless, those messages, those words, They are public ventss, voids that instead of being thrown into the air or silently assimilated by oneself, one prefers to leave them in that visible channel and in the eyes of everyone.

If you don’t know the person who posted them, you may wonder after a few days how things went, but in reality, these threads never have a resolution. It is preferable to leave the annoyance, the tantrum, the slight or the sadness in a cathartic way, in these public squares such as social networks.

I project something I am not to feel better

Have you ever come across a fake profile? Have you established a friendship or relationship with someone who turned out not to be who they really told you? There are many personalities who project virtues that are not real, fabulous stories accompanied by misleading photographs.

Behind social networks there are people with many shortcomings, we must not forget that. There is no need to go to these extremes either. Sometimes, we can see the behavior of some friends on our social networks, talking about things they have not done, or giving a somewhat distorted image of what they really are.

For many people, social networks are protective shields where they can move through a comfort zone, in which, hiding fears and insecurities, and in turn, project what they would long to be or have. It is no longer necessary to leave home to find a partner. It is no longer necessary to go to certain events to make friends with people with similar tastes to ours.

The world is within our reach in one “click” and that is undoubtedly a wonderful thing, but also dangerous depending on which hand you use the computer or phone.

The equilibrium…

Balance lies in enjoying life with intensity, taking advantage of any channel, any scenario, but prioritizing the world of the senses: sight, touch, smell, taste…

No face is more seductive than having it before us, no hug is as warm as the one you know how to give, and no conversation is as deep as the one that breaks out over a cup of coffee.

Now, social networks are fantastic for sharing specific things, for communicating with those people who are far away, for laughing, for learning and discovering, but always respecting and knowing where one’s privacy is.. That intimacy that is not sold based on likes.

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Image Courtesy: Pascal Campion