On Sunday, our Pastor asked us to consider fasting media on Wednesday. He was specifically talking about social media, unless he knows a bunch of people in our church struggling with reading too many books. I knew what he meant.
I have done a media fast (t.v., social media) before so the concept was not as crushing as it would be on let’s say ANY teenager, anywhere. On Wednesday, I did not go on Facebook, You Tube, or Twitter. I pretty much stayed off the internet accept for checking e-mail. Contrary to popular belief, the internet goes on without us. That’s what bothered me the most.
The big shocker from yesterday was recognizing that if I quit social media forever, that it probably would not even garner a shrug. After the fast, my inbox was not full with “Hey! Where are/were you?” messages. In fact, no one even “liked” my post that was I was doing a social media fast. It was a non-event. Now, I may be reading too much into this and that is exactly my point. I care too much about my own social media presence.
As a frequent tweeter and FB Poster, I, like everyone else enjoy the connection, likes, shares, etc. But maybe I like it too much. Maybe I enjoy the affirmation to much. Maybe being shared, liked, RT’s, etc,. are too much a part of how I get my self-esteem strokes, and the big question is, if the internet went away, where would I get the easy affirmation I have become so comfortable to receiving?
Think about it. Before the internet, I would have to be in a physical, social circle and I would have to actually do something to receive the attention I desired. One of my students posted, “Guess what day it is….” ,from the catchy insurance commercial, and received dozens and dozens of the appropriate response, “Hump Day!” etc. It took no effort to attract so much attention. Where would we get that if the internet went away? Would it crush our self esteem if we could not get that kind of immediate response anymore?
So, for me, I guess I have to learn to not put so much stock in my online presence. I have to learn to live like the internet was going away tomorrow (let it never be) and would have to up my physical presence around real people who actually cared if I were not present.
Do you think Social Media plays too much of a part in the building of your self-esteem?
How did you build your self esteem before the internet? Could you easily go back to that method if the internet went away tomorrow?
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think?