I think we’ve all been there—criticizing or judging celebrities, acquaintances, and sometimes even friends for what they post on social media. Whether it be Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook, there are thousands of pictures we see every day where we instantly jump to criticism: “Why is she wearing that?” “That’s so self-centered, why would she say that?” “Why would he post that to his Snapchat story?”
These are only a few statements we might be thinking or gossiping to our friends about while spending time on our social media apps (that we practically can’t live without). But what I think we should really be focusing on is not what what people are wearing, doing or saying, but considering if what they are posting makes them feel good or more confident. Yes, there are some things that we must judge, but an outfit choice or one “narcissistic” comment should not make the list.
What if social media is the only place where a person feels they can truly express themselves? What if their post makes them more confident, or significantly boosts their self-esteem? We don’t know what is going on in their lives, so we shouldn’t be so quick to critique or jump to somewhat harsh conclusions.
I have witnessed many people criticizing others they follow on social media for “showing off,” or remarking, “They only posted that for attention.” But if that is their intention, it shouldn’t be a problem. One of the main attractions of social media is to broadcast ourselves and what we’re doing. Why should people criticize someone for “showing off,” if the whole point of social media is for people to see what we’re up to, and showcase aspects of our lives that many people don’t get to see? If someone feels good about what they post, why should we judge? It’s their life, and they should be able to post what they want, and more importantly, what gives them confidence.
Overall, as hard as it is sometimes, we need to stop social-media shaming. If we are confident and feel good about what we are posting, why should it matter? If people shame us for loving our life, that’s truly a shame.