The Reality of Social Media
THE REALITY OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING: Much of what you see posted on social media is a carefully curated stream showing a one-sided reality of what we want others to see and think about us. Whether you are aware of it or not, we either post for narcissistic or altruistic reasons.
If we are in a narcissistic mood, we will post things that show we are “good” in some way – that we look good, are having a good time, have good friends, are being a good parent or spouse, or that we are in love, etc. We hope these posts will garner positive feedback as we all love praise and want to highlight our success.
If we are in an altruistic mood, we will post something to help others – words of inspiration or an inspiring story, video, or photo. We hope these posts will assist others in their journey of life, and that people will be appreciative, because giving and serving others makes us feel good as well.
When you are posting about the good aspects of yourself or your life, you are showing that you have value. When you are posting something to help others, you are showing others that they have value.
Both types of posts are equally important, because in order to truly connect with others, there needs to be a balance of give and take. Too much “me me me” and people will lose interest. Too much “give give give” and people won’t value what you give.
Social media is both a projection and a reflection. Therefore, the more conscious you are in what you project, the better the reflection. It’s the yin and the yang. The push and the pull. The polarity of life.
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