Youth Incorporated Magazine

In the last few years, social media has taken over our lives in every way. It seems to be taking away people’s self-confidence and personalities alongside many other things. The problem with today’s generation is that they don’t love themselves enough to let others love them just the way they are. So the question is, have you lost yourself to the virtual world?

Ruhi Gandhi takes a look into the matter

The Rise of the Artificial

Fake profiles, over-edited pictures, an excessive show of skin? While these stunts get more likes on social profiles, ask yourself, “Is this really me?” The number of likes a person gets has overruled a person’s self-esteem (or well, maybe it has become directly related). How far can a person take it anyway? Eventually, people will find out that what they see on profiles is not nearly the same thing in reality. So what happens when the cover is dropped?

Agreed, sometimes it is more difficult to make conversation face to face, so social media is an easy way to start up a conversation and there is nothing wrong with that, but what people fail to realise is that there is a very fine line between becoming addicted to the internet and living in the real world. People like seeing things as is, and those that don’t, aren’t people anyone should be bothered to “prove something” too. Imagine falling in love with an absolutely charming, confident, and humorous personality online and one day when you meet the person at a small cafe you realise the person is nothing like they had portrayed, their face is hardly what the profile depicted, their confidence seems to only shine when talking online, and they sit fidgeting, shy, and unable to converse properly. It would feel like a complete betrayal. So while profiles are a great way to network, it works best when you really are yourself!

Maybe it’s acceptable, sometimes

Sometimes, online profiles help people find their inner personality. It gives them a check with reality. It is not easy for everyone to know how they are, what they are, and how they want to be, that is a part of learning one’s own self. So many people realise the wit they have online, their opinions shine, they become fierce, and no doubt loved by all who read. The fact is, some people are just strong when it comes to writing and others when it comes to speaking. The only important part is that no matter how much you do on your social media handles, you need to keep a reality check and make sure that the personality you are becoming online should line up with your real personality. On another note, with the dangers online such as stalkers, and scammers, people are hesitant in revealing their real selves, after all as humans we tend to be sceptical in believing the things we cannot see. So when it comes to these aspects it is understandable. The only time it is a problem is when people lose themselves into online profiles, harm or mislead others around them for no reason, and ultimately hurt themselves for living in a void.

Musical artists are making a statement!

One can never underestimate themselves and expect others to have the highest regard! It is okay to be oversized, has curly hair, not like makeup, not have mind-blowing biceps or a huge chest, or a skinny waist. Frankly, it’s more than okay not to have a hundred likes on any picture you post or any comment you make. There are always people who respect others for standing on their own ground and taking pride in who they are or how they are. Not only is it gutsy, but it is attractive.

Not many people are able to step outside their comfort zones and be themselves.  We aren’t the only ones who seem to agree on this. Meghan Trainor’s “All about that bass” and Lily Singh’s (Superwoman) “Leh” are perfect songs that give contradictions of the two types of people, the people who know how to love themselves the way they are and the fake people that seem to pretty much fake everything around them.

Test the Reality

Take it as a challenge if you will, post a picture on your social media with no makeup, no push up bras, no flexing muscles and abs, see if the world still loves what you show them. Showing yourself bare, in the raw unaltered form takes guts, but more than that it requires self-confidence. Sometimes things are easier said than done. People build up fake profiles to zone out of their real lives, lives that they most probably are dissatisfied with. What every person needs to remember is that they were given the life they have only because they are strong and smart enough to live it. What use is a fake profile where people love you for what you are not? You need to love yourself for who you are, or make yourself the person you want to be because you can’t have both a fake personality and not want to incorporate it in your real life. If it works online it’ll work in reality too.

What works for some may not work for others, but everyone has a beautiful personality. The difference is people’s expectations, values, and perceptions, so there is no right and wrong. Sometimes, it is just society and social pressures, which frankly seem to be given much more importance than deemed necessary.

As snobbish as it may sound to some, everyone needs to be full of self-worth, (but of course not to the extent that it becomes ego). The truth is, when you know you are doing the right thing in your own eyes, it will hardly matter what others say.

The day people learn to embrace who they are, they will respect others for embracing themselves too. Love yourself and help others love themselves too.