It’s no surprise that we want our loved ones to know about every accomplishment or milestone we achieve. However, sometimes a simple phone call is not feasible.
When family members are abroad or the convenience of avoiding long talks with them appeals to you, social media comes to the rescue.
Social media giants like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have allowed for all kinds of emotions to be expressed to a worldwide audience.
However, as helpful as these platforms may seem, they do cause concern for many people.
It may be hard to understand why these websites cause discomfort among many teenagers and college students, but the answer is really simple.
When you are going through a bad patch in life and see all your other friends do well, it causes you to question yourself. It is important not to confuse this feeling with jealousy.
Many college students, teenagers, working adults and counterparts feel inferior when they see their peers do better than them. Such reactions should not be frowned upon, as they are basic cognitive responses.
As per research from the University of Michigan, this psychological cost we pay makes us feel unsatisfied and lonely about our life goals.
The study’s authors say sites like Facebook are stages for social comparison. Posts tend to make you feel like your life is not as full and rich as the lives of your friends. It is easy to assume that those who engage in face-to-face interactions rarely use Facebook.
It is important to come to terms with Facebook’s mission “to make the world more open and connected.”
These networking sites are primarily designed to help us stay connected and informed about those we care about or raise concern and questions about events that affect us.
Facebook can have a negative impact on our lives because of the constant and recurring urge to see how well our friends have fared.
It becomes a rat race. We want everyone to fare well, but not better than us.
This perception is what will cause the first crack in our personalities and thinking.
Contrasting ourselves with others is like mocking our own talents. The different skill sets we all possess must be appreciated to synthesize a better and diverse community.
Likewise, here at Ole Miss, we have come across people who speak different languages, have different cultures and practice distinct faiths, but that is what facilitates our campus to be one of diversity and inclusion.
If you see your friend landing that internship you had so desperately wanted, realize that your skill set may be better for another company that is in line with your key skills.
It is not necessary to believe that just because you love something, it is meant for you. You are destined for other things.
So, the next time you start comparing yourself to your high school friend on Facebook, understand you are devaluing yourself. Your success lies in how your personality is shaped, and that shape is not the same for everyone.
Pradnya Landge is a sophomore computer science major from Bombay, India.
