We are the generation that grew up using a dial-up. We know what it was like to wait half an hour for a Google search to finish loading. Nowadays, women are objectifying themselves by hunting and pleading for compliments-Likes or comments- on social media. They dress to post photos of their new outfit while men take gym Selfies to show everyone how fit and strong they are. Everyone is in need to communicate in a way or another but social media has made everyone turn into an attention seeker and it is starting to get toxic and seriously dangerous. In the past year, numerous deaths occurred as a result of social media over usage. Women were taking Selfies while driving, for example. Is it really worth our lives?

 

 

We all know that one couple that makes everyone uncomfortable. They usually do that by engaging in public display of affection, or fights. You know what we are talking about, of course. The couple’s Facebook profiles consist entirely of not-too-subtle messages to one another. They’ll post song lyrics and tag each other. They’ll wish each other a happy anniversary publicly, even if they live in the same house. When they fight – or worse, break up – things are only bound to get even worse. They will start making the most passive aggressive posts, thinking they’re sly. When, in fact, everyone knows exactly what happened merely from observing their timelines. 

 

Why is it a problem, you ask? Their behavior does not only annoy us, it’s unhealthy, and it is spreading. Then we wonder why healthy relationships no longer exist! It is because people are overly possessive. They tag their partners in cheesy status updates to reestablish their attachment to them. They are also becoming passive aggressive to an alarming extent. Each fight results in angry rants on social media and changing relationship statuses. They are not only delivering a message to their partner that they are upset with them. They are sending a message to the entire world. It reads in all-caps “I NEED YOUR ATTENTION.”

 

Yes, this is what it comes down to. Attention. It is more than sending their significant other an anniversary greeting. They could do that in the comfort of their own home, or on the phone if they don’t live together. A small note on the refrigerator means a lot more than a link to a song on their Facebook wall. However, how else are they going to show all their friends that they are a happy couple? How else are they going to get the attention that they’ve grown addicted to?

 

Same goes for passive aggressive Facebook fights. Women no longer go crying to their mothers when they have a broken heart. They write an angry status instead about the atrocities committed against them in the unfair battle of love. And they wait for the comments to roll in:

“You’re beautiful and strong. You will be okay.”

“All men are the same.”

“He never deserved you in the first place. Good riddance!”

Why don’t we ever step up and make a comment of our own along the lines of:

“This is your private life. You need to be more protective of it. Also, nobody cares.”

 

We probably should. 

 

When Facebook went down earlier this June, panic ensued. For a few minutes, the entire world spoke about Facebook and nothing else.

 

 

The Internet has become an impeccable tool for self-expression. Social media can be utilized in an abundance of ways. You can use it to raise awareness for a certain cause, spread the word about a startup project or to promote a blog. How come, then, that instead of seeing an immense surge of entrepreneurship, we’re just witnessing a sharp increase in narcissism?

 

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are almost always flooded with selfies. Everyone is doing it. Correction: overdoing it!

 

Recently, scientists linked selfies to narcissism, addiction and mental illness. It only makes sense. One has to be obsessed with their looks to take a large number of photos showing only themselves.This epidemic is getting serious. Some people actually believe that they can selfie their way to fame and fortune. You want to be an Internet persona? Snap pictures of yourself during every waking moment. And don’t forget the hashtags!

 

Some people’s obsession with their phone cameras is bordering on insanity. For example: sneaking a selfie during funerals is so common now that a Tumblr page was made especially for Funeral Selfies. Several car accidents recently took place because the drivers were busy taking selfies. One of said car accidents was so bad, that the girl lost her life a minute after she took a Selfie with a Hashtag: #happy! 

 

Sometimes it isn’t exactly dangerous, but flat out mind-boggling. Rapper Wiz Khalifa took a selfie after being arrested for possession of marijuana. No, he didn’t take it after he was released. He snapped a picture of himself in his jail cell! The photo was captioned “Jail Selfie”.

 

There are also several criminals who took incriminating photos. Like the two Swedish girls who took a mirror selfie right before they robbed a restaurant. As well as the 21-year-old who posted a selfie with a gun. The gun was identified to be the one used in an armed robbery, leading to his arrest. 

 

Beware of selfies. They might be the way to mental illness, car accidents and incrimination.

 

 

You know those people who just lost a member of the family and rush to change their profile picture to a black photo and write status RIP? Seriously, is this the first thing you think of doing when you lose someone you love? How come mourning became this unsacred!

 

We live in a time when being a celebrity is glorified. Being famous has been romanticized to the extent that everyone wants to be famous, even if it’s for no reason whatsoever. 

 

Many of the celebrities that the public obsesses about gained their celebrity status through a “leaked” porno. The young generation grew up seeing this. They were made to believe that’s what success looks like. Why anyone would want their lives preyed on is beyond our comprehension, but everyone wants it now.

 

It only got worse with the introduction of Social Media. Suddenly, even if you are not famous, you can pretend to be so. You will include your small number of followers in every aspect of your life. 

Thus, we end up with too much information, which we don’t care to know. Some will share details about their private lives, talk about their significant other. Those are the drama queens. Usually, they receive a following of like-minded individuals, who will also speak openly about their private matters.

 

 

Fashionistas are also guilty of sharing too much. They will post pictures of every single outfit they wear. Every time they go shopping, you will get an inventory of their purchases. And if they have children, they won’t refrain from exploiting them. Nothing is cuter than a child in a pretty outfit. Let’s hashtag this picture with all the brands they’re wearing!

 

 

Then there are those who don’t realize that God is not on Facebook. Whenever some sort of tragedy befalls them, they write a status intended for God. They implore Him for His help and guidance. Praying is a beautiful thing. It is also rather private. Why would anyone want the entire world to know what they say to God?

 

 

Worst of all are the pseudo-bloggers. Those will pretend to be actually doing something worth their fame without having an actual blog or website.  And what is an easier thing to pretend to do than writing, right? There are “Fashion Bloggers” who only exist on Instagram, and “Political Bloggers” who only exist on Twitter. At no point do we get to see proof of their “blogging”. 

 

What infuriates us the most about this is the fact that so much could be done with the technology we now have! A great number of initiatives, alternative media channels, talents and startup companies happened because of Social Media. And it is offensive that some will jump on the bandwagon only so they could become the next Paris Hilton. Ultimately, they will go nowhere. Their only achievement might be the damage to the credibility of those who worked hard for their online initiatives.

One can control the Internet as the tool it is and change the world, or let it control them, and just be a tool.