i am. deceived
i was shown a youtube video the other day, and was immediately inspired. i wanted everyone to see what i saw and hear the beautiful, raw storytelling. i put the link to it in my bio, but for those who don’t want to spend the 22 minutes watching it here’s a summary. Jacksgap, a very successful youtuber began his career simply because he loved it. but as time went on, and his follower count increased, he felt a demand for content. his viewers wanted quantity over quality, something that went against his beliefs, so he quit. he felt as if he failed, while it seemed as if everyone around him had it all together. he became severely depressed, but still tried to maintain a positive illusion of happiness and success on social media. later, at a high school reunion, he realized that many people he believed to be doing so well were really in a similar position as he was. he had been blinded to what these people were experiencing, because on social media they looked so happy. but people tend to post only the best, the funniest, the most charming aspects of their lives. i know i am guilty of this. take this photo, for example. it looks as if my life is easy, right? i mean, i was in New York after all. but what isn’t pictured is the real reason i was there. i was visiting my uncle who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia.
no one wants to post about being bored, sad, or frustrated but that is exactly what we need more of. i know i am constantly beating myself up about not being as pretty, adventurous, or successful as the people i see on social media, but never think about what is hiding underneath. that skinny model, may be battling an eating disorder. or the girl that’s always traveling may be trying to escape family issues. social media has so many beautiful qualities, but transparency is not one of them. we need to see the beige of everyday life. it would help to know that others don’t have picture perfect lives and that we are not alone in our weaknesses, imperfections, and failures. so let’s post our worst airball yet or talk about our failure on yet another fad diet. maybe if we’re real, others will follow.
