In today’s digital world, social media plays a key role in everyday life. As people increasingly seek to stay connected, time spent on social media continues to grow, according to medium.com. In fact, in 2024, the average person spent two hours and 24 minutes each day on social platforms, according to of statista.com. Since social media only shows a person’s highlights, it creates a distorted view of reality, according to medium.com. Although the intention behind interacting with social media may be innocent, overconsumption on these platforms can lead to harmful effects. Highlight reels featuring glamorized posts can make viewers feel as though there is pressure to constantly be social or productive.
From 2013 to 2024, the use of social media has increased from 90 minutes to 143 minutes, according to soax.com. Often, person’s social media profile serves as the first impression of their sense of self. Subsequently, many curators view their social media as a highlight reel where they can present a carefully crafted persona. These curators share a selective portrayal of their lives while concealing any struggles or imperfections, according to profiletree.com. As a result, social media users are consuming only curated portrayals of others’ lives, according to healthline.com. Even though many people know they are viewing solely highlights, it is easy to feel the need to match others’ level of social activity. Ultimately, social platforms create a sense of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).
Social media has become a significant part of adolescent life, according to moriahbehavioralhealth.com. Due to social media’s prominent role among young people, unattainable social activity and productive has become normalized. Ms. Amrita Vora, a sophomore at the University of Southern California, commented on the impact of social media on adolescents and college students.
“The constant sparring match with self worth stems from the carefully curated stories that are perpetuated by social media,” Ms. Vora said, according to dailytrojan.com. “In the long term, this has the potential to lead to a host of mental health issues. Social media does not capture the human experience as it is, instead, it only captures what we want shown to the world.”
The effects of constant exposure to idealized images, unrealistic beauty standards, and the influence of social media influencers can have harmful consequences, according to ballardbrief.byu.edu. Social media’s high standards for perfection in day-to-day life can lead to perfectionism, which is not attainable. The false belief that one must appear perfect at all times stems from the assumption that others expect perfection, according to The New York Times. It is important to remember that comparing the best moments in other people’s lives is not equal comparison.
Even with its flaws, social media has become a place where individuals can set new goals. However, the benefits of social media vary from person to person. While some users feel that social media is a platform where they can freely express themselves and be creative, others view it as an environment that fosters conformity and strips people of their individualism, to medium.com. Although there are both benefits and risks to social media, it is imperative that individuals spend time in the real world and not on screens.
Because users can curate the image they want to present to the world, social platforms perpetuate an unrealistic notion of perfection. The curated images have transformed social media into a platform of social highlight reels. In fact, this distortion only leads people to believe that those around them are living perfect lives when, in reality, that is not the case. Now that social media has become embedded into daily life, it is crucial to remember that there is a gap between what social media portrays on the screen and what actually occurs in real life.
Featured Image by Catherine Ononye ’27
