I've decided to mostly leave Instagram.
Originally, I'd just removed the app from my phone because I felt it was wasting my time.
Now I realize, I'm not interested in continuing to use the platform except to maybe watch the reels posted by Angelic Pretty Paris, posts by big brands and maybe a few friends.
Last night, I went onto Instagram and saw a post by an indie brand doing PR damage control. I read the comments to try and get some more information because I was a bit confused after reading the post.
I'm disappointed by what I saw.
There are a lot of different things to say and think about and it is difficult to get them into a cohesive format.
What I saw last night is a repeating expression of this culture that has developed.
And of all the things I can think to say about this culture it's that it is phony.
A significant element of who I am is that I have a massive distaste for inauthenticity.
It makes sense that this kind of culture would develop on a platform such as Instagram. And I'm also certain that there are people who really enjoy this culture.
But I need to be real with myself. When I experience those things online, they affect me in my real life. They can affect me for a long time. They do not put me into a place where I can do positive work.
I am sad about it, because I like to look at photos of lolita fashion. It's like a continually updated version of the streetsnaps. But it's also like opening up a colouring book in order to relax and never knowing if the next page is going to have something really upsetting on it.
Maybe that's the crux of the problem. I am going there to relax away from the world but for other people it's intrinsically linked with the world.
I'm not sure when I'll start making the changes to my account there. I will probably turn it private and then start unfollowing accounts. It feels kind of scary because I don't want to hurt anybody. But I also need to protect myself.
There's just such a lack of compassion. It makes me scared of the future.
If social media is not making you feel safe at the very least (let's leave happiness out of the equasion for a while), then moving away from it is a very healthy thing to do. Anyone who might be hurt by you doing so has more ego than kindness, so probably deserves being unfollowed. Do what you need to keep your spare time a safe and happy place.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your support. <3 I think I am just going to stick to reading blogs and such.
DeleteI did the same for the same reason: Instagram / Facebook was not helping me become a better person, and it was a really positive decision on my mental health. I hope that it will also bring positive changes for you.
ReplyDeleteAh, if you'd like, it is possible to suspend your account on Instagram without deleting it!
Thank you! I'll look into this idea of suspending my account.
Delete