Now that I work in social media, I understand what an all-consuming art it can be. Especially for work, I'm constantly checking: how much engagement does this have? Likes? Comments? What's the most compelling comment I can come up with while still being positive and encouraging rather than sarcastic, biting, or—much worse—manipulative?
Through social media (ironically?), I found this very interesting graffiti piece in Vancouver entitled, "Nobody Likes Me" and then read an enlightening article about the artist's inspiration behind it. For me, excelling at my job was the initial motivation to become engrossed in every aspect of social media, but it's certainly so easy to let that motivation and obsession be clouded with thoughts of personal affirmation, identity, self-worth, and value. It's no doubt a slippery slope. The instant gratification when something's good is powerful, and the lack of gratification stings that much more when something is, well, the opposite of good.
Don't get me wrong. I love social media and am a huge proponent of the way it allows people to connect and communicate in ways they normally wouldn't. But, I was glad to see someone draw out a very real truth that is often missed and overlooked—or, maybe just taboo to speak of—in the vast world of online media. Thanks for the recalibration.
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