Now, during the time of quarantine, adolescent's relationship with social media has become more co-dependent than ever before. Ever since the quarantine, I noticed a significant increase in my social media usage, as it allowed me to listen to how social media makes me feel and pay a close attention to my relationship with it. Through this social experiment, I hope to see what others’ relationship with social media looks like. The information below are the responses I received. to these following questions: “How does social media make you feel? How would you describe your relationship with social media?” “What is one thing you want/ wish to change about social media?” “What is a song that best describes your relationship with social media?”
My instagram followers’ age ranges mostly from 13 to 24; 14% of 13-17 year olds, and the highest range of 58% 18-24 year olds. All the responses I collected were from adolescents. Through this social experiment, I observed that a lot of Gen Z and milennial’s relationship with social media share one similarity: the paradoxicality.
How does social media make you feel? How would you describe your relationship with social media?
“Fear, unnecessary but necessary, short-term happiness, addictive and sweet, love hate, impersonal and unforgiving, toxic, brain damaging, visual and objective, stimulating and exhausting, painful and unwanted, anxious and weary, degrading and depressing, creative and interesting, soul-sucking and broad, parasitic, entertaining, constant, addicting and toxic, relatively healthy, toxic addiction, marginally worthwhile, opportunistic and liberating, exhausting and numb, fake, addicted and annoyed, forgettable and perennial, appalled and addicted, refreshing and conflicting, needy, inclusive and isolating, redflags, colorblind, exhausting and additive, boredom and envy, constantly comparing, entertainment and addiction, addictive and intimidating”
What is something you want/ wish to change about our social media culture?
"UTOPIAN FANTASY" to AUTHENTICITY
"stop making it a utopian fantasy" "that something has to be perfect to be posted" "the normalization of facetune" "How everyone thinks everything they see is real or use social media to stalk people’s location". "people are given likes and followers for their looks instead of talents"
"more authenticity" "more genuine and willing to show the “ugly” or “weird’ parts of life"
"more genuine and uplifting- a more positive and welcoming place" "more real and deep connections"
DISTORED HATRED to EMPOWERMENT
"people’s sense of entitlement to the right of pointing fingers and criticizing others when they are not well informed enough or even relevant enough to say anything. It’s like they’re putting themselves in a place of superiority and judging blindly."
"body shaming" "cancel culture" “dark humor. it’s usually very offensive and sometimes racist" "the negative comments" "people that think they’re woke, but are really just spreading wagon unnecessary hate"
"instead of bringing up insecurities by comparing, encourage introspection and happiness" "sharing creativity/ happiness and less of selling yourself"
MORE THAN JUST A SCREEN
"people take it way too seriously" "the obsession with numbers of likes, etc." "seeking validation from social media." "the pressure to be perfect and show only the best aspects of yourself and your life" "less addicting, and have everybody spend less time on it"
"for everyone to limit themselves and enjoy life. Not a screen."
Songs that best describe your paradoxical relationship with social media.