(Hey guys! So the year has come to an end, so I went to wrap it up with a bang!)
2016 was a year of ups and downs. A year where the U.S.A had to decide whom should become the next president. A year where wars, such as those in Mosul finally came to the light. A year where we began living our lives through a lens.
The rise of social media has influenced the younger generation in a way that we could not have imagined. People only cared about their number and there image. Narcissism was no longer something bad, it was praised. People became obsessed with the idea of perfection. Whether or not they were keeping up with the trend. Whether or not they were sexy enough in videos and pictures.
Now, let me get something straight. I don’t hate social media. I think it’s a great idea. You now have the ability to express yourself. But, that message has become lost in a whirlpool, a pit, of cleavage, lip products, and innuendos. It’s no longer expressing who you truly are, it’s expressing what you think people want to see. To get more views or whatever. It’s sad to hear, that when we take a picture with friends, we don’t think “I’m soooooo happy to have friend that care about me…” No, you think about yourself. How you look. How much better you look compared to your friends.
But praising narcissism isn’t the only thing that went wrong…
Before I start, I want to preface this by saying that I’m not hating on photography that’s not what I’m trying to say. I’m trying to say how you don’t NEED to take photos of EVERYTHING, just to prove to other people (people you don’t even know!) online that you are having the time of your life. Why is it that we care more about some stranger’s opinion more than our own. It’s just plain weird! Let me give you an example of a situation I was in that truly made me write this blog.
So as you may or may not have known, I want on a backpacking trip around Java, Indonesia a few months ago. I had just climbed this mountain called Bromo, and I was trying to enjoy the view, but, I couldn’t. All I saw were people taking photos of the view. Now you may be thinking “So, there’s nothing wrong with that!?” Well they weren’t just taking photos of the scenery (which I did a couple of times). They were taking photos of the view and themselves. I took a few photos of the view, but I just couldn’t get it right. Why? All I could see where people’s arms and their cellphone cameras flashing. After people would get the right angle or view, they would leave. That’s right, just leave. It’s almost like they only went up there to take a photo for their social media, not because they wanted something to remember this moment. I was saddened and infuriated when I saw this, because I just kept thinking “If you just wanted to look like you’re having fun, and living a good life, why didn’t you just post something that actually made you happy, like eating a bag of chips while watching YouTube…?”
I’d like to wrap this up by saying, yes, there were bigger problems this year than just this. But I think that this should be addressed. We now live our lives on a screen. Filled with fake smiles and happiness (and maybe fake cleavage too). We have lost a purpose to have fun other than, staring at ourselves on a screen watching numbers add up. So let me ask you, is it worth it to live life through a lens?
Sag Scholar OUT!!!
Fun, Free, Fandom 