and look I’m sharing this!
In a world consumed by social media, I stand as a dissenter in the midst of the digital frenzy. Social media, for me, is not a source of joy but rather a major pet hate. I fondly recall a time when phones couldn’t locate you, and being unreachable was not only acceptable but embraced. The constant need to be connected and accessible has become a societal norm, and it’s something I deeply resent.
For some, social media is a necessity, and I begrudgingly count myself among them due to work obligations. Apparently, people need to know what I’m doing, where I am, and how I’m doing it at all times. As a fairly private person, this invasion of my personal space and constant visibility is profoundly alien to me. I cherish the idea of getting to know people before I open up to them on a personal level, which is increasingly difficult in a world where every detail of our lives is on display.
Unless I am particularly moved by something or engaged in work or travel to a new place, taking pictures is an unnatural activity for me. I often forget that my phone even has a camera! I prefer to be fully present in the moment, rather than fumbling for the metal object buried at the bottom of my bag or pocket. The incessant urge to capture every moment on camera can detract from the authenticity of experiences.
Videos, in my opinion, are even worse offenders. How often have I witnessed people at concerts with their faces buried in their screens, recording the performance instead of enjoying it live? It’s as if they might as well stay home and watch it on television. The disconnect between reality and the digital world is disheartening.
What’s perhaps most disconcerting about social media is how it empowers people to say things they would never dare utter in person. The cloak of anonymity and the distance created by screens encourage a level of aggression and incivility that is deeply troubling. It seems that the digital realm has blurred the lines between what is acceptable behaviour and what is not.
Despite my reservations, I reluctantly engage with social media, but my activity is sporadic at best. I do so out of necessity rather than desire. If, by some miraculous turn of events, the entire satellite network were to be disabled, I might be one of the few who wouldn’t mind.
In a world dominated by constant connectivity and the sharing of every detail of our lives, I long for the simplicity of a time when personal privacy was valued and being unreachable was not considered a major inconvenience. Perhaps the reason I upped stakes and moved to North Wales.
Social media may have its merits and advantages, but it is not without its drawbacks. For those of us who cherish our privacy and value being present in the moment, the constant intrusion of social media into our lives is a major pet hate. While I may reluctantly participate in this digital age, I hold onto the hope that there will always be room for a world where personal boundaries are respected, and genuine human connections are prioritized over digital distractions.
If anyone still believes there is such a thing as personal privacy then they are wrong.
