We are probably lost in views and likes these days. What happened to the innovative youths I met in science congress competitions back in secondary school? Today, all we want is to ask people to follow us on our social media handles, subscribe to our YouTube channels, like our contents… we forgot the easy ways of taking care of our balcony gardens, home backyard or even farms. We like it soft, we like to make noise on our keyboards. ‘’A youth with ideas, idle and has data bundles, very chaotic this one.’’
The internet is an incredible platform, very enlightening and actually a game changer for lack of a better word. The internet has since changed how we look at things or people, also the true appearance of the former and the latter. Myself cannot remember the last time I checked onto my Instagram page, not that I lack data bundles, the pressure that site brings is something else and with these times, I just don’t want to think of myself as a looser.
But that’s beside the point, this generation is one that has been swallowed by social media. The true identity of people has slowly been fading away in ‘clicks and taps.’ Today you would walk in a room and everyone is buried in their phones busy clicking and laughing at who knows what and who doesn’t, who has seen so and so do bla bla. Each moment we are out and about we encounter different characters immersed deeply in their cheap android phones, laughing annoyingly at posts. Today is Sunday, I know what some of my friends are wearing, where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing. Courtesy of social media.
The excitement that has come with this wave of views and likes is outrageous. I do think social media is a great platform, especially when used for convenient purpose. Come to think of it, since ‘memes’ were birthed, you can never drive home an important point, people of my generation will always find a way of seeing humour into it. Everything is just for laughs. Sad.
Apparently nowadays we do not even call to check on our friends, we believe when we view their status and know what is going on with them, it is enough, after all we only have data bundles and no airtime to call. People are suffering out here and faking it to the social media for likes. People only let you see what they want to be seen, a depressed generation with a messed up lifestyle trying to explain that they are okay when they truly are not.
Are we defined by the contents we post online? Is that our real image or just a cover to hide from our true selves? Some people have completely lost their identity and are now living under the online persona. Gives you reasons why most today can’t lift their heads off their phones because they have no life in the real world. The dressing code, lifestyle and looks are all but lies. Thanks to invention of photo filters, we even hide who we look like.
Thing is, the online world is fast substituting the real word. People are now living fantasies. Where is the sense? We have two groups of people in the online world; one that uses the online likes and views to get money and the other that uses money to gain likes and views. People eat pathetic meals to save money for online airtime and consequently lack sleep because someone did not view what they posted. Bro, stop being a daft and get a life.
There is more to life, life out of the phone. There are million books, unread and crying to be touched in bookshop and library shelves. We are so used to the smiling emoticons, ourselves we cannot even remember heartily laughing, as we daily express using those messaging emoticons. Get those earphones off your ear and listen to real conversations from strangers, feel the awesomeness of people around you.
Stop burying us in your own emotions, we also do have our own. Get off fantasy lifestyle in your head and face the real. Seeking validation and approval online is just but a sick livelihood. Step out of the phone and live. There is more to life, more to nature and more to what you can really invent.
Lynne
linetooko 