It’s just my luck that I reach Starbucks at its busiest hour. As I stand in line behind the dozens or so fellow students of mine, I can’t help but notice how transfixed they are on their phones. No one is chatting or exchanging ideas with one another. They’re all just focused on their phones. It’s not a wholly new concept; since the invention of smart phones, social media and endless apps, we’ve all become more isolated from one another.
You may be thinking, “I have 1,000 friends on Facebook, I’m not isolated!” But seriously, how many of those people do you know? How many do you speak to on a daily basis; not just through instant messaging or text, but actually sit down and talk with them? I’m guessing that number is low. So why then, is everyone so interested in how many followers you have? If you can’t possibly know every single one of them, why should it matter?
I don’t think it should matter at all.
My follower count doesn’t tell you who I am as a person. It doesn’t tell you what I’ve been through. It may show that 20 people liked my artsy photo of my frappuccino, but what does that really mean?
The way we portray ourselves on social media is not always the same person we are in real life. We like to put the best version of ourselves forward on the Internet so people can catch the happiest parts of us. We don’t share our experiences in depth or what we’re really thinking. Besides, we’re told nowadays to be careful not to share too much – you never know whose looking.
And that’s exactly why you shouldn’t judge me by my follower count – the “me” attracting all of those followers is not the complete me. At the same time, the person without so many followers isn’t necessarily all alone. Our social media life does not define who we truly are.
Instead of judging me for who you see on social media, take the time to get to know the real me. Talk to me to learn more about my hobbies; each one shapes me differently. The lyrics I tweet aren’t just empty words to me; they mean so much more. The photos I choose not to share are the ones that matter the most. But you’d never know any of this just looking on the surface.
There is so much more to me than my follower count. All you need to do is look up from your phone long enough to find out.