Think About It!
“We don't have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well we DO it.”
-Erik Qualman
Social Media
It's True! I Saw It On The Internet!
I'll delve into the world of hashtags, filters, and fake followers, exploring the impact of social media on our lives and providing strategies for navigating the complexities of online existence without losing your sanity.
Social media has revolutionized the way we connect, communicate, and consume information. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok have become integral parts of our daily lives, shaping our perceptions of reality and influencing our behaviors. I will explore the rise of influencers, the obsession with likes, and the prevalence of fake followers in the digital age. By understanding the dynamics of social media and developing healthy online habits, we can harness the power of these platforms for good while avoiding the pitfalls of comparison and validation-seeking.
Ah, social media—the virtual playground where words go to be mangled, hashtags reign supreme, and coherent thoughts are but a distant memory. I'll don my digital armor and dive headfirst into the chaotic world of social media speak, where likes, shares, and retweets rule the day.
It’s a brave new world out there, folks, where a carefully crafted tweet or Instagram post can make or break your online reputation. But beware, for the land of social media is a treacherous one, filled with pitfalls and perils for the uninitiated.
The #Hashtag
First and foremost, we must confront the beast known as the hashtag. I don’t know when it became known as the hashtag. IT’S THE NUMBER SYMBOL or POUND SIGN (LB., lb.)!!! Once a humble symbol used to categorize content, the hashtag has morphed into a powerful weapon in the arsenal of the social media warrior. From #blessed to #YOLO, from #MondayMotivation to #ThrowbackThursday, hashtags have become the currency of the digital realm, signaling allegiance to a particular tribe or cause with a single keystroke.
But beware the hashtag gone rogue, for in the wrong hands, it can wreak havoc on your social media presence. One misplaced hashtag can land you in the depths of meme hell faster than you can say “cancel culture.” And let’s not forget the dreaded hashtag overload, where every word in a sentence is preceded by a pound sign, rendering the entire post unreadable to all but the most dedicated hashtag sleuths.
#icanttakeitanymore!
What are we going to do - change any worldwide symbol to whatever we want it to mean? A lot of it is already happening. “K” is not just a letter of the alphabet anymore. It’s now a reply to a text, as if typing “OK” or “Okay” is too burdensome! Oh, the exhaustion! Do they even teach keyboarding (or typing as it was known in my day) in school any more? Or is it now called “thumbing?”
I think today’s generation probably has the strongest thumb muscles in history!
Here is a list of commonly used hashtags:
#ThrowbackThursday or #TBT
#MondayMotivation
#Selfie
#HappyFriday
#Foodie
#Goals
#Travel
#QuoteOfTheDay
#Fitnes
#InstaDaily
#Love
#Beautiful
#OOTD (Outfit of the Day)
#Explore
#Instagood
#Adventure
#PhotoOfTheDay
#PicOfTheDay
#LifeIsGood
#Nature
#Throwback
I get that hashtags have become common. I understand using them to find common ground in social media. I know that many hashtags are used for good causes, such as raising money or awareness. Many of them have become standard, and I guess that’s OK.
But then there are the hashtags that are being used, in my opinion, to draw attention to an individual that thinks he or she is special or has accomplished some ambiguous, amazing feat! Clipped your toenails? Well, you better create the hashtag #IJustClippedMyToenails! Then others that have accomplished the same mundane task can use it to connect to that massive community of achievers! Found what you thought was a special rock, but wasn’t? Well, #FoundARockButItWasJustPoop ought to make you famous!
Here is a list of some interesting hashtags I found while researching. Really?
#BlessedWithPerfectEyebrows
#JustDroppedMyPhoneOnMyFaceAgain
#CoffeeIsLifeButSoIsWine
#UnicornFrappeMadeMeDoIt
#SweatingLikeAColdCanOfSoda
#LostInTheSauceButActuallyIt’sJustKetchup
#LivingMyBestPajamaLife
#IDidntChooseTheSnackLifeTheSnackLifeChoseMe
#SorryNotSorryButActuallyKindaSorry
#FOMOFromMyOwnBed
#DrowningInLaundrySendHelp
#DoingItForTheGramButMostlyForTheLikes
#NetflixAndStillMoreNetflix
#ChasingDreamsAndAlsoTheIceCreamTruck
#EatingMyFeelingsOneCookieAtATime
#LivingLikeLarryTheLobster
#SelfieSundayButFirstLetMeTake1000More
#FirstWorldProblemsButMakeThemFashion
#AdultingSoHardICan’tEven
#DadBodProudButAlsoConsideringSalad
And to make things worse, I’ve even heard people TALK in hashtag! I overheard a conversation in a restaurant where a girl actually said “OMG! You gotta hashtag BestFrenchFryDipEver!” I just about choked on my own rather normal French fries. Guess I should have tried that dip!
The Emoji
Then there’s the language of emojis, those tiny pictograms that have become the lingua franca of the internet.
From to , from to , emojis have the power to convey complex emotions and ideas in the blink of an eye. But beware, for misinterpreting an emoji can lead to social media disaster. Is that wink face a flirtatious gesture or a subtle threat? Is that eggplant emoji innocent vegetable symbolism or a not-so-subtle innuendo? Why not a cucumber? The possibilities are endless, and the stakes are high.
I wonder if it’s possible to create an entire text message with just emojis?
I hope this translates into “I would like to meet you for lunch/dinner!” If it doesn’t, I may be in for an interesting evening! But, that’s the problem, isn’t it? Everything can be interpreted differently by different people, and the results could be disastrous.
Here’s a sampling of the way we communicate in our “connected” world:
How has this come about? Is it the education system? Do we not teach simple spelling and grammar anymore? Is it upbringing? Do parents not encourage their children to read and write, instead of “thumbing?” Or has technology just enveloped our society to the point that there is no going back? Will we reach a saturation point where things will just come to a standstill, or is there a future where we are only communicating with hand gestures, blinks of the eyes and clicks of the tongue?
I’m worried!
Vaguebooking
Of course, no discussion of social media speak would be complete without addressing the phenomenon of “vaguebooking.” You know the drill: a cryptic status update that tells you absolutely nothing but leaves you desperate for more information. “Feeling so betrayed right now ” or “Some people just can’t be trusted ” are just a few examples of the passive-aggressive masterpieces you’ll encounter in your social media travels.
I have a few “friends” on a social media site that will post messages along this line - “Please pray for this person and their family today,” or “I don’t know what I’m going to do!” Ok…but WHY?!? Was there a tragic accident? Did they get fired? Do they have a hangnail? Did you lock yourself out of the house? Did you forget to put the baking powder in your cake batter? If you are going to impose on all of us to pray for someone just to make you feel better because you are “getting the word out,” then tell us why, for pity’s sake!
But perhaps the most insidious aspect of social media is its tendency to warp our sense of reality. In the quest for likes, shares, and validation, we often sacrifice authenticity on the altar of online popularity. We curate our lives into carefully crafted highlight reels, filtering out the messy, imperfect parts in favor of a glossy, Instagram-worthy facade. It’s a form of digital performance art, where the line between reality and fiction becomes increasingly blurred.
