Social media: Toxic or nah?



I like social media.

Not all the time, no. But I like it to an extent. If I had to choose to either live in a world with or without it, I'd choose the former, every time. 

These days, I've been seeing a lot of negativity going around on my social media platforms. I've seen outbursts from people who are sick and tired of getting backlash from haters stalking them online, I've seen people doing some sort of a social media cleanse just to cut away unwanted attention from people with ulterior motives, I've seen people wanting to cut social media away from their lives because of all its negativity, and I feel for them.

How and when did social media become a place for people to hide behind their devices to spread hate onto others? How did something that's supposed to give us the ease of interacting and sharing with loved ones become a platform that's become so much more powerful than that? Social media has become so great that it's starting to become toxic because of those who abuse it. It's no wonder why people want to cut that out from their lives, because who wants to have this unnecessary stress in their lives? That's why the ones who stay ignorant by not constantly keeping in touch with their social media platforms stay the happiest. 

But that isn't the way we'd like to live now, is it? 

For a very long time, social media has become a necessity in my life. I enjoy it. In fact, instead of pushing it further away, I've embraced it even more. Recently, I've joined Twitter again and I've also revived my Facebook account. I think Twitter is a perfect place for me to write about how I feel about things at that particular time and to just let it all out, while Facebook is simply the best place for me to stay in touch with what's happening around the world recently because I don't read the news on a regular basis. I just learn a thing or two every day just by staying in touch with social media a little more. I guess in a way, it's good for me.

Documenting memories 


Also, in this era of my life that I'm living in now, I want to document the best moments as much as possible. I want to make sure that in many years to come, there would still be somewhere for me to look back on these memories that I've made and remember the things that I've done, the people that I've met, and the places I've been. I want to remember all the memories that have given me so much happiness, and I don't want to let it just fade to black like the rest of the memories that I've failed to document. Let's take the old tagged pictures of your school days on Facebook when you were only fifteen, aren't those the most precious? That feeling of nostalgia when you look back on those pictures and think about how much you've grown from that time and now, doesn't it just makes you feel some type of way? Like damn, I've gone through that phase of my life, I probably can get through anything.

I don't know if that's how most of you would feel, but that's how I feel when I look at myself in the past. Even if the change is insignificant, it'll always make me feel better about myself.

Simply for the fun of it


I'm the kind of millennial who cannot live without my phone. It's probably the most important thing that I own, everything that I could possibly need, lies in there. I spend more than the average amount of time on my phone, and social media is a big part of my life.

Ever since I discovered the internet, I've always known that this would be the greatest form of entertainment for me. It has helped me come out of my shell, being the shy and introverted person that I am. It has built up my self-esteem in ways I find it hard for others to really comprehend. This is where I have found and developed my passion for writing, simply by starting a blog which then used to be more of a form of therapy for most rather than a great marketing strategy that is has become today. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing at all, it's refreshing to see how much things have changed since then. Social media has helped companies more than traditional media ever could, and people who have the ability to influence others have gotten amazing opportunities to fully unleash their potential that wouldn't be possible to be discovered in the past.

My objective, however, until today, has stayed the same. The essence of my blog will always be to document my growth, to write in the simplest way that most will understand it by- with heart.


So, is social media good or bad? 


I guess it all comes down to how you perceive things. If social media has been beneficial to your life, then by all means, stick to it. If social media has been the reason why you've been stressed out lately, triggering your anxiety and has done more damage to your well-being, then I'd say, staying away would be a wise choice. Ultimately, it all boils down to you. I feel that a lot of unhappiness can be avoided if we take the time to understand ourselves better. Always focus on your needs, and putting that thought first. Are you really going to let the opinion of others affect you like this, all the damn time? 

The reason why I wanted to write about this is because it gives me the opportunity to see things from both points of view. I've been puzzled by the amount of negativity I've been seeing online, and it affects me just a little because I don't know why the blame is always being put on social media, being a monster that it is. The influence of social media may be great, but it only stays good if people put it to good use. I've always felt like social media is my safe place, an escape. I guess it's because I choose to not let drama slip into my life, and the people I surround myself with and are surrounded by are fortunately the most kind-hearted and supportive people around.

Perhaps I can't say the same for all, I believe that there are still those who are secretly lurking around and waiting to see any form of weakness from others. Unfortunately, these people will always and forever be nothing but weeds grown from mud. Nothing good ever comes from those who wishes for bad things to befall others. 

To those struggling with the negativity of social media or currently dealing with haters, don't blame it on social media. Even without it, people will still find a way to get to you. Instead, strengthen your soul so they can never diminish you, focus on the good energy from the people who love you. Cut those weed off your life, and may peace find you. Stay away from unnecessary drama that do not concern you. 

Wish well for others, and good karma will come back to you. Always believe in that, and the universe will not fail you. 

Love,
Ashhy

2 comments

  1. hey, thank you for sharing. You’ve been the most cheerful person alive that I have ever met and thank you for everything.

    ReplyDelete

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