The Social Responsibility
After watching the documentary The Social Dilemma my mind was blown. We use the internet & social media platforms so flippantly these days. Without a second thought we seem to naturally pick up our phones & click to social media apps to "check" what's new, where people are, what they're doing, what they're wearing, who they're with, what they're eating, what they may have said about us ... and so on. It's a Never Ending Cycle. Of course there are many ways in which these social tools are helpful for communications & business, however when they infiltrate our personal lives (which they can very easily), they can be dangerously controlling.
It sounds weird to think that an app can capture our attention for hours on end, when the WHOLE world is just sitting outside & patiently waiting for us to participate ... but after watching the Netflix documentary it was incredible to watch & reinforce that social media apps are designed specifically to tap into our physiological state and make us think and act a certain way. The level of personal information we so easily give up is phenomenal! It feels so normal at the time - but when you think about it, why should every single web page know our name, our email, our birthdate, our mobile number? When we look at a particular post & then see similar posts follow us for weeks on end ... isn't that weird? It's too coincidental right? It's creepy, invasive & unnecessary. But we all voluntarily allow it to happen.
Don't get me wrong, I am guilty of letting too much of myself seep into the digital world at certain stages of my life. I am guilty of allowing myself to think that what I see is real & feel down on myself when I think I am not as good as what's in front of me on my screen. But a few years ago it really hit me that LIFE is what I can smell, touch & see in 3D!! Life is the feelings I get from nature, from family, from friends, from travel & from work. Life is not my Instagram. Life is far more.
The words Dopamine, addiction & persuasion are used a lot throughout the documentary. Dopamine in very simply terms, is a chemical released by our brains that can trigger a feeling of pleasure. Addiction is a heavy (and often dangerous) reliance on something & persuasion is the power to warp your personal sense of reality to think, act & feel a certain way.
When you think of the young, impressional and often vulnerable people in our communities such as teenagers going through puberty, and you associate words such as Dopamine, addiction and persuasion ... it's a pretty scary thought right? Gone are the days where the words we associated with teenagers were skateparks, slumber parties, diaries, water bomb fights! So much of the old school fun & blissful innocence seems to have taken a back seat. We really owe it to the younger generations to bring it back! We need to bring back REAL life. The outdoors, friends houses, camping grounds, backyards, the pool! We need to be able to replace words such as Dopamine, Addiction & Persuasion, Like, Comment, Tweet, Tag, Post and Filter with FUN, SILLY, KIND, EXCITE, ACHIEVE, LAUGH, STRONG, LEARN, BULD, TRY and GROW.
I know that it's not only teenagers at risk of being hurt by social media. It's all of us. It's anyone with access to a smart phone & the internet which is quite terrifying. These tools are driving mental illness numbers up hugely. Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bullying and suicide are the harsh side effects of social media - and that is just not ok.
If you're reading this, please make an effort to spend less time on your phone and/or change the reason why you're using it if it's allowing negative thoughts & actions to creep into your life. Use it to celebrate friends, communicate & market your amazing skills and businesses. Use it to raise awareness for great people & amazing causes. Use it & be YOU. Be responsible. Be smart, kind, realistic and strong! And if it's ever too much - DELETE.
Life is too short to be controlled by a small electronic box in your hands. You and only you can steer your life. Steer it towards enjoying your journey instead of worrying about your post. Steer it in the direction that enables you to be the best and most natural version of yourselves.
Below are some links to platforms where you can seek help & support if you're ever feeling the weight of the negative effects social media can have.
Go out & get some fresh air today! See the world IN REAL LIFE!
Stay safe and be kind,
Elyse x
Butterfly Foundation - Providing amazing help for those suffering with issues concerning body image.
Kids Help Line - if you’re under 18, there is no place safer than Kids Help Line to find the support you need.
Beyond Blue - Bulling related matters & all types of mental health concerns.
Bullying No Way - For anyone who is worried that their child is dealing with a bullying issue.
Reach Out - For those who would like more information on understanding the importance & the complexities surrounding body image.
