The Chaos of Modern Social Media

Today, posting to social media, even if it’s just an uneventful photo of your group of friends, has become more of a headache than we could have ever imagined. Gone are the days when you took a quick Polaroid shot or scanned a photo print from a disposable camera to share online with everyone without a second thought. Today, social media has created more of a headache than we could have ever imagined.

Perhaps, this has been amplified for me living out in Hollywood and hanging out with a bunch of models left and right, but I don’t know about you… but I’ve had enough. First, there’s always that one person. It’s true that there will always be photos of ourselves that we like more than others but loving every photo of ourselves that makes it out into the world didn’t use to be a priority. Thanks to the ever-increasing narcissism that social media has created, now, when we post a photo, there’s always that one person who demands that it be taken down as they need to filter themselves 17 times before giving you the ‘final approval’ to post the photo. Those days where you can just casually post a photo with friends really are gone. And even what seems to be the simplest post to social media has become a full production.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve stopped posting photos with friends that require ‘final approval’ on any casual photo going up at all- it’s too much of a headache, especially when more than one of the people in the group require this. It becomes overly complicated and sucks the fun out of posting photos with your friends. And these same people (at least in my life) regularly express concern to me that people don’t post photos with them… gee, I wonder why? It’s quite often these same people, however, who wind up posting photos of you with your eyes closed where you aren’t looking at the camera or when you’re in mid-blink without giving it a second thought. The double standards are real- thanks, everyone. Especially since I don’t really care too much how I look in pictures, I tend to be the one getting the short end of that stick often. I bet you guys can find several photos of me with my eyes closed in tagged Facebook images…

Anyway, I digress. The point I’m trying to make is that social media has quickly and easily sucked the fun out of taking photos with friends and made it a stressful chore that I no longer have the time for. In short, it’s almost become a job, in itself. To the exact opposite extent that I mentioned above, there’s also the topic of ‘over filtering’ someone. I’m sure you’ve all heard of “Face App” at this point. If not, it’s an app that can actually morph your face to make it look ‘more aesthetically pleasing’. You can utilize the map to add light makeup to yourself, fix your hair, or… you heard right, completely morph your face. When doing it to yourself, it is what it is. That’s between you and your app. However, when done to other people, this can quickly create more problems.

Say you morph your friend’s face without talking to them. What kind of message is that conveying- that you don’t think they’re pretty enough without help? I thought altering our appearance wasn’t cool anymore with the increase of body positivity? Personally, I think it’s important be careful altering anyone’s appearance without speaking with them, as it can give the wrong message very quickly. Personally, I prefer to look more natural, so while I don’t get offended when someone alters my face, it does bother me. I roll my eyes and won’t share the photo, as I don’t look like myself at all. I feel I look silly, and it comes off desperate to me. And I could easily decide that’s you telling me that I’m not naturally pretty and you’d prefer me a different way- if you’re not careful. And the people who choose to do this are usually coming from a place of kindness. They prefer themselves altered like that, so they think they are helping you by ‘stepping up your appearance’, too, but in all honesty, I don’t think anyone should have the ability to morph their friend’s appearances without their okay.

Regardless on your thoughts of the Face App, I think we can all agree that social media has become a chore that isn’t quite as ‘fun’ as it used to be. Who knows which direction it will head next, but I, for one, am ready to live in my own little bubble and post my own travel and nature photos until the world until the headache of social media goes away… if it ever does.