Many, if not most of us, use Facebook, Instagram or one of the other social media sites to keep up with friends. Which is a truly beautiful thing; but there just might be a dark side to our communicating this way. All of us who use social media enjoy an endless array of photos of happy people. But I can't help but wonder if the effort to create the perfect shot doesn’t take priority over reality. It just may be we are missing out on life, on writing, exploring, playing, anything beautiful and real while we are seeking the perfect cell phone shot. It can be very unfulfilling to live in pursuit of the image instead of the experience.
Are we becoming a generation that is afraid to sit alone with ourselves and get real with our life? Does anyone do that anymore; or, are we always seeking the perfect Instagram moment? I saw an ad the other day that said: “Let’s be real, you only go apple picking for the Instagram.” Maybe it’s time for a little thoughtful reflection about the potential for being artificial on social media, and the temptation to use it in a prideful way. Are we living a lie telling our friends: “Look, folks, how perfect my life is.”
The fearful question for me is wether social media is radically reshaping who we are, or does it merely provide a new platform for man’s expression of his age-old vanity? And dear friends – vanity is the sin of pride.
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