Today I Am Happy And I Will Not Write It On Social Networks

Today I feel good looking in the mirror, and I don’t need to take a picture of myself for others to see. I went down to the street and gave a smile to everyone I met; I chose not to post anything on social networks to get “likes”, because the smiles of others were enough for me.

Everyone, at least once, has been surprised at how far certain people can go when they publish something on these channels, the new media.

They expose their life, their thoughts, strictly daily facts, which is like moving the curtain that is in front of their mind and showing their fears and shortcomings.

First, it must be said that the new technologies and social networks are amazing tools that have enriched our lives. They bring people together, shorten distances (we can say that the world is really getting smaller) and offer us greater accessibility to new knowledge.

However, it has always been the case that any object, in the hands of certain people, receives a particular use and purpose.

What hides the attitude of these people who need to constantly publish their thoughts or who allow very little time to pass between a selfie in front of the mirror and the other ? Now we will talk about just that.

I want your attention, I want instant gratification

With the spread of social networks, a new scenario of interaction has opened, in which it is not necessary to go out on the street to talk, to share, to seduce or to chat with our friends.

Today there is an impressive immediacy. There is no need to go down the stairs or take the bus. People can dress up, show their best smile and take a picture of themselves which is immediately posted on social networks.

And the reward is just as immediate: after a few seconds, dozens, hundreds of “likes” appear. This is something fabulous for those in need of stimulation, immediate recognition and positive reinforcement. In reality, it is a reward that is as immediate as it is fleeting.

People repeat this gesture after a few hours, because the recognition obtained is addictive. Also, there will always be someone who gives a few seconds of their attention, even if they don’t know all the individuals they “like”.

I share the shortcomings, the gaps and the needs that I do not face

“I feel lonely”, “I have been betrayed”, “today is a bad day”, “this world is a disappointment”, “that guy is selfish”, “nobody understands me”, …

It is likely that you have often found yourself reading about ” statuses ” of this type on the message boards of social networks. If the authors of these messages were your friends or people you liked , you will not hesitate to pick up the phone and contact them to find out more and help them.

However, these words are a public outlet, they are hollows that, instead of being assimilated in private, are left on a visible channel, for all to see.

If you don’t know the people who posted them, you may be wondering at the moment what is happening to them, but, in reality, these threads never have a solution. We prefer to leave the expression of annoyance, whim, offense or sadness in a cathartic way on these public squares which are social networks.

Today I am happy and I have decided to keep my happiness for myself, in the physical intimacy of those who can read happiness in the eyes, of those who share time with me face to face, of those who walk with me in the middle of the afternoon.

I project an identity that doesn’t match me to feel better

Have you ever found yourself in front of a fake profile? Have you ever befriended someone who turned out not to be the person they described themselves ? There are many people who project qualities that are not real, who tell fabulous stories accompanied by deceptive photographs.

Behind the profiles on social networks, there are people with many shortcomings, never forget that. Situations are not always extreme: sometimes, we realize these shortcomings simply by seeing the behavior on social networks of some of our friends, who talk about the things they have done  or give a distorted image of how they really are.

Social networks are, for many, a protective shield, a comfort zone in which to hide fears and insecurities and, at the same time, project what they would like to have or be. It is no longer necessary to leave the house to find a partner, it is no longer necessary to participate in certain events to make friends with like-minded people.

The world is just a click away , and this is undoubtedly fantastic, but also dangerous depending on who handles the computer or the mobile phone.

The balance

Balance lies in enjoying life with intensity, making use of any channel or scenario, but giving priority to the world of the senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste).

No face is more seductive than the one in flesh and blood in front of you, no hug is warmer than what you know how to give, no conversation is more meaningful than that which arises over a cup of tea.

Social networks are great for sharing certain things, for communicating with loved ones who are far away, for laughing, for learning and for discovering, but respect must always come first and intimacy must never be violated: it must not be it sells to the sound of “I like it”.

I don’t need to share a photo on social networks for others to recognize my happiness or my sadness, I know my sufferings, I know how to enjoy my joyful moments, without the need to receive approval and success. I know what the boundary is between the public and private spheres.

Image courtesy of Pascal Campion