I Like Myself!

In doing the reading talking about the culture of “likeing and unlikeing”, I can’t stop thinking about it. This is something that I have debated and had numerous conversations with others about. How much is too much? Are people seeking likes for the right reasons? Is it breeding insecurity? Can we blame it all on dopamine?

When I think about this aspect of social media, I mostly think about Instagram and Facebook. I’ve noticed this in my friend group over the years, but even my own family members. As soon as somebody posts something, they are completely consumed with checking how many “likes” it’s gotten. Sometimes even going so far as to inquire if I liked their post. I can’t help, but wonder if people are just looking for validation?  I wonder how unhealthy this can become? My feed constantly gets bombarded with people chronicling their weight-loss journeys and transformations of themselves. Isn’t the point to better yourself and do it for yourself? Why then do people feel it’s necessary to post about it for the sake of getting people to “like” it. I suppose it could be motivating, but it’s not a culture that I like to take part in. Some people have become so consumed by crafting the right picture or post that they completely lose sight of enjoying the moment.

Side note! In reading this part of the chapter,  I also couldn’t stop thinking about an episode of Black Mirror called “Nose Dive.” In this episode your social media standing determines basically your entire future. It determines what kind of apartment you qualify for, moving up in your job, the car you can get, and so much more. When you have a negative interaction with somebody your rating goes down. I used to think that it was such a wild episode, but after doing the reading it’s nerve-wracking to realize we aren’t that far off. It’s as simple as somebody’s social media determining whether or not they get a job or get into their dream school.

The book I chose to go along with this post is called “I Like Me!” by Karen Beaumont. This is a book that reminds children to love and be themselves. It teaches them to honor their authentic selves and to not try to change to please other people. In a world where people are so quick to judge, I think everybody could be reminded to love themselves just the way they are!