TOXICITY SPREADING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

   

    Toxicity on social media 

SOCIAL media has created goblins and monsters in all of us. There are cretins that do disinformation in the form of satire with kids speaking big, walking with a big stick, pretending they know things well, and there are individuals unable to tell the difference between facts and misinformation or disinformation. There are people who operate a social media platform with a license to kill, spewing heat waves that are totally odious and foul, and yet it’s like staking one’s claim over a piece of meat that is bartered or paid as a business proposition of hitting people, creating a mess and hiding when confronted with facts. There are instances of identity theft and burner accounts for a fee.

And there are those in social media who would like up a storm just because they have a different narrative not shared by the proletariat, forgetting the fact that the reason they lost in 2016 and 2019 was because of their high-on-a-pedestal, self-proclaimed know-it-all attitude. And they continue to insult ordinary Filipinos because doing so gives them pleasure, gives them the wherewithal to last the month until another gig comes, because they believe they are better and their kind of a leader will see the light of day. When the opposition criticizes day in and day out, there is no brand salience. That is not contrast but a sure way of destroying their brand.

5 Toxic All-Consuming Social Media Behaviours 

Obsessing Over the Picture-perfect Life

More often than not, we come across accounts of perfect-looking celebrities, personalities, and influencers. They are filled with photos of travels across the world, having fancy food, donning designer brands with impeccably decorated homes. And oh yeah, did I mention? A faultless gym-bod.

The beautiful visuals that beam with positivity make it seem like everyone on social media is perfect — everyone except you.

We begin to compare ourselves to others, envying the lives of others, and spiral into self-loathing. We often feel ashamed of how far we are from them. This negative effect of social media use on our well-being is documented in a study from the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology which found a correlation between social media use and depression.

‘’The constant comparison on social media often leads to unhappiness, low self-esteem and stress"

Real Life VS Reel Life

When you travel to a new destination with stunning views, visit a restaurant with wonderfully plated desserts, or finish a rigorous gym session, it is hard to resist whipping out your phone to take photographs because ‘Pics or it didn’t happen’.

I remember being at a concert years ago, and mobile phones seemed like a concert accessory — almost everyone had their mobile phones out to shoot footage of the concert instead of actually enjoying the experience. We so often want to document a moment for the enjoyment of others that we forget to enjoy the experience would be

Doing it for the Likes

Every social media has a form of reaction to a post, alike, a heart, a thumbs up, or a comment. It is only natural to feel good when there is a positive response but it should not be something we seek validation from.

When we get caught up in trying to rack up as many likes as we can, we unhealthily attach our moods and self-worth to the acknowledgment of others. It can be detrimental and sometimes in the worst case, be a cause for suicides amongst individuals with less mental resilience.

If you find yourself repeatedly checking back to see who has (or hasn’t) liked your post, perhaps it is time for you to sign off, put your phone away, and give yourself a break. A virtual reaction is first and foremost different from how you would react in a real-life scenario.

Oversharing on Social Media

While social media posts are good once in a while to update friends on your life significant events, if your life is so thoroughly documented that you (and your followers) know your whereabouts, when and what you ate for lunch every day last week, it is very likely that you are oversharing.

It’s okay if you do not post every day. People are not going to forget about you.

People whom you might not know can know your whereabouts. It is a security risk to not just your way of life but your families. A lot of celebrities and influencers get harass every day by their fan and followers because their whereabouts are so easily accessible online.

Surfing Social Media Before Bed

Social media engagement during the last 30 minutes before bed was found, in a 2017 study, to be indicative of a poor night’s sleep. Social media — and all that comes with it — increases a person’s anxiety, making it hard for one to ‘switch off’ for a restful sleep.

Not just that, it is also widely documented that the blue light emitted from your smartphone restrains your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for your sleep-wake cycle.