If you're like me, you've noticed many of your Facebook friends (or acquaintances, or people you've known since kindergarten but seldom talk to, or those who might be friends of friends of friends) fleeing the platform like it's no one's business.
But why the exodus?
It's quite simple: People have grown tired of the same old same old.
Many would concede there are benefits to logging on every so often -- from catching timely news to distracting oneself with trending memes or videos of the week.
But being barraged with baby pictures and vacation photos for days on end becomes a little tough to stomach after a while.
Granted, some people mean no harm in sharing these special moments with others. It's their way of conveying to the world that they're making the most of their lives and are grateful for the things and people that enrich them. We should try our best to be happy for them, even if we may harbor a smidgen of concealed envy.
However, people understandably take issue with those folks who blatantly show off in an effort to garner likes. Posts that transmit an air of superiority -- "you wish you were me right now, don't you?" certainly don't rub users the right way.
The good thing is that once your patience runs out, you can simply unfriend or unfollow the person instead of bolting from Facebook entirely.
But for some people who aren't going through the best of times, seeing posts of these seemingly happy individuals with picture-perfect lives can be utterly brutal.
Such content can serve as a reminder of the very things we perceive as elusive in our own lives, whether it's true love, career success, sterling health, or big bucks. Here are some examples:
- The frustrated couple that's been trying for years to get pregnant without success.
- The single lad who is facing yet another Valentine's Day by himself because Ms. Right seems to evade him.
- A hard-working individual who's been laid off through no fault of his own and must now look for a job in a bruised job market.
But we must thwart the temptation to compare ourselves to others, for that will leave us feeling bitterly disenchanted in the end.
Remember: Even if those people are all smiles in the photos, you don't really know what's happening behind closed doors. Perhaps that couple is on the verge of a divorce, but they aim to present a picture of unity and joy so as not to worry friends and family.
I happen to think that the happier ones are probably NOT spending their whole day posting stuff on Facebook. They're too caught in the moment to care whether people online will place their stamp of approval on their content.
And that's the thing: Happy, well-adjusted people don't turn to Facebook for happiness -- they look within themselves because that's the only place they know they'll find it.
There's nothing wrong with likes, happy faces, and other forms of positive reinforcement. But if you become dependent on these reactions to keep you happy, it raises an important question: Are you using Facebook to compensate for someone or something you sense is missing in your life?
The likes and positive comments may help you feel better temporarily, but they won't fill the void. The more dependent you become on others' approval for fulfillment, the bleaker your life will be.
Facebook can be taken away any day from us. People can come, go, change completely.
But your passions? Your gifts? Your uniqueness? Those can last a lifetime. Loving and respecting yourself will always figure much more prominently in your happiness than any Facebook reaction can.
Comments