When everything needs to be shared then what moments are left to be sacred?
I found myself sitting in an office across town yesterday trying to explain what I do to someone 10 years my elder and completely out of the loop on the whole social media game. To drive my point home, he didn't even know how to pronounce Instagram. It was hard not to correct him. He then proceeded to ask me if he should join Instagram, to which I replied (in short) "no". Not that I'm against anyone older than, umm 32, joining Instagram or anything. And I'm all for trying new things. But I also don't believe in blindly following trends. And let's be honest, Instagram is a huge trend right now.
We have a problem on our hands.
The more we constantly share every thought and image we experience on a daily basis, the less we actually sit and contemplate the simple joys of being alive. Whatever happened to keeping something to ourselves? When was the last time you existed for more than 30 minutes without any technological distraction? And what do more likes, comments and followers really mean at the end of the day? I'm serious. Take away my numbers on Instagram and I'll still go to sleep in peace tonight. But that's completely opposite of what I've experienced in person over the last year. It seems more is better. More followers. More likes. MORE! We are a culture driven by more. We are consumers driven by more. We are "content creators" always wanting more. But to what end?
Take more mental pictures
The next time you're out with your friends or family and the moment is happening right in front of your face, don't reach for that little black brick in your pocket. Instead, let the magic of life unfold before your eyes. Think about the millions of tiny electrical signals firing back and forth in your brain that give you your senses to see and hear and touch and feel. Then realize that those people around you are worth more than any number on any social network ever. I speak this to myself just as much to you. I'm not always "in the moment" as much as I should be. But I'm learning to be. If not for my own good, then for the good of my daughter. And I think that is something worth fighting for.