This is a small rant I guess. But one that I wrote last month and is a summarized version of a chapter in my book. I’m dumping it here because I’m seeing more and more content appearing in a feed on all social media platforms that I really do believe is programmed to just keep you there. To keep you scrolling, keep you viewing ads.
No care, concern, empathy or desire to help better humanity at all.I hope someone gets something out of this, so here goes.
Social media is just a highlight reel of people’s lives.
It’s not reality. It exaggerates a feeling of inadequacy in many ways and can add to your fear of making positive decisions and changes in your life.
It can dramatically affect if we ever actually make positive and worthwhile decisions and changes for our own self-betterment. Decisions and changes that can only be processed when we are calm of mind, and not influenced by external noise and shouting.
I wrote an article about 10 years ago that focused on how to get through the noise of every day. How to keep an uncluttered mind. Back then the human mind was being bombarded with over 5000 messages from companies and media a day. Today I'm sure it's ten times that.
Media and social media in particular is responsible for a huge shrinking of self-confidence in society. We are being made to feel this way by being shown all these perfect life highlight reels, and then having them coated in political rhetoric and ads all designed around you and your likes and preferences. Edited. Polished. Colour corrected. All mistakes removed, which is to say they lack any relation to real life as we know it. This is not life. This is not a good example of where we should be looking for life advice or motivation either. It’s bad movie trailers and has very little to do with our life realities most of the time. You have to turn it off.
The most successful periods of my life, and definitely the most productive periods... Are the times that I am not worried about what others are doing or how they think and what they think about me and what I’m doing. In other words when social media is not part of your week. Social media and if we think about it media and advertising in general, by showing us what they believe will keep our attention rather than what is good for the human mind and soul, is subtly pushing us to be afraid. Afraid to go outside, afraid to ask for help, afraid that if we aren’t instantly great at something we will be embarrassed, ridiculed and laughed at, and most of us aren’t even aware it’s happening.
We don’t answer phones anymore. We text. We communicate in pictures, emojis, memes. Basically the hieroglyphics of our time. Words have become less a part of our day to day communications. We don’t talk to people directly as much anymore. Not with our vocal cords anyway. We avoid it. But words are really what is needed most. Especially now. Today. Not isolation. And that’s definitely the word I feel is right here. Isolation.
This isolation, however it came about, is also robbing us of our ability to take even small risks that move us forward. The highlight reels of others tell us they are better than we are, have better lives than we do and are better looking than we will ever be. So why even start when so many subliminal messages are telling us we will fail. Right? Wrong.
The problem is...... You can't build an empire. Even a small one, alone. You need to be brave enough to ask for help. Ask for advice. Ask for opinions. And be able to take what others say without it personally affecting your morale or soul. That my friends takes words. It means picking up the phone. Going to see someone in person, and asking for help.
Vocalizing your need for help can be an amazing experience for you and whoever you are asking for help from. Asking for help can be hard. But it's definitely not a sign of weakness. It's a sign of bravery, self-worth and respect for yourself and those around you.
So. Please consider these words the next time you get frustrated or upset seeing someone's amazing holiday snaps, or perfectly lit selfie or 5-star meal shot with a camera. Let me address those before we finish. Re the holiday, remember your best times are the ones when you are so happy you forget to take photos. Yet these people apparently walk around all day with cameras? Sure... If someone spends that much time taking a selfie so it's so perfect there's a high chance the only reason the person is in that location is to take that shot. And then they went home. To a home very similar or worse than yours. There's also a large chance they are as insecure as the rest of us and hide behind their social brand. And I know for fact meals get bought specifically to be photographed and get likes. If you really enjoy a meal you don't take pictures of it. You enjoy it. Take a picture of an empty plate. It's more of a compliment to the chef anyway.
Summary: It’s time to go, be you. The pure, powerful, real version of you. So cut out the noise, find those around you who are ready to support you and your adventure and go ask... for help. I believe in you. Now it’s time for you to believe in yourself.
Cheers
MPA
https://michaelpa.com
https://mpafineart.com
