Hey Everyone!
So today in the midst of essays, exams and revision, I figured I would write a post about the app that makes our thumbs sore from scrolling, the biggest form of procrastination yet, and the friend we all love but also hate. Yep, you've got it, I am going to put my hands in the air (or on the keyboard) and have a rant about Instagram.
Firstly, I have an Instagram addiction. I have always been a lover of the ol' gram. I love capturing moments and making them look as pretty as possible, even if that does mean photos looking staged or unrealistic. I've always loved sharing memories with the world, liking my friends' photos, and even exploring the accounts of other creative people, and following them like I've known them my whole life. It honestly felt like I'd gained an award when Dr. Martens requested for one of my pictures to be posted on their official account. I was buzzing like a bee.
However, recently I've found myself not enjoying Instagram as much as I used to a few years ago. All I seem to find myself doing is scrolling infinitely through my friends' friends' girlfriends' friends' boyfriends' friends' friends' boyfriends' friends' photos. I mean... what the hell am I doing? Where is this going to get me in life? Why do I care? The amount of time I spend gawking at the sexy girl on my screen thinking 'ooo she's tanned', 'oh my god why is my bum not as curvy as that', 'hang on is that edited?', 'I wonder if her boobs are real', 'they have the perfect life' etc. WHY DO WE FEEL THE NEED TO COMPARE OURSELVES?
In addition to this, there are apps that revolve around Instagram that cause further problems. I downloaded the unfollow app, an app where you can find out who has unfollowed you. Clearly I cared that much. So I downloaded it, and then found out that someone who I knew from school had unfollowed me and I thought 'what on earth did I ever do to you?'. After finding out about this audacity, I unfollowed them because they unfollowed me. Shortly after this, I then unfollowed someone else because I realised they didn't follow me! What was I turning into? It was absolutely beyond the valley of tragic! I soon came to my senses and deleted the unfollow app, because I felt rejected and heart broken. This didn't last long. I downloaded it again because I realised my followers had gone down and I was dying to know who it was who had betrayed me........ THIS IS TORTURE. WHY DO WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES?!
Ridiculously, you then start questioning your friendships with people when you find out they liked one persons Instagram picture and not yours. You confront them jokingly about why they didn't like your picture, and soon realise that you've wasted another chunk of your life thinking about a like on Instagram that didn't even mean anything. THIS IS ACTUALLY PSYCHOTIC LIKE I FEEL LIKE A PSYCHO EX GIRLFRIEND.
The competition rages further when people post pictures. Peak time is key 'between 6pm and 9pm or you won't get as many likes'. Regarding the caption, who's is the 'punniest'? Did your friend even go on holiday if they didn't Insta? Is your mate even going on holiday for a tan, or for 'the gram'.
Instagram gives an audience a false sense of reality. You will never see anyone post a picture hungover in bed with no makeup on and a sick bowl by their bedside. You'll never see anyone post pictures on a rainy day, or when they're upset. Is it an app that only encourages us to show the positive side, or is it merely us, as an audience who fear that anyone else in our world will see us not having a good time?
I was 16 when I first downloaded the Instagram app. I am now 21- AN ADULT. It sickens me a little to think that a 12 year old girl or boy could be using this app and obsessing over it as much as I have. Because they're so young they are likely to grow up thinking that this is real and thinking that it's normal to obsess at home for half an hour over what Instagram caption to use and which filter will make them look more perfect, instead of hanging out with their friends and laughing at the ridiculous selfies they took in the New Look changing rooms.
I know I must look quite lame right now, but I am honestly shocked at how much this app has influenced our lives, for the better, but also the worse. I could have probably travelled the world and come back with the time I've spent on Instagram. I know there will be a lot of people reading this thinking 'woah this girl is crazy, it is not a big deal', but I 100% know that I am not the only one! Despite this rant, I know I love Instagram, and I will never fully delete it. Not having it is like sat at home when there is a party going on and the FOMO kicks in. There always seems to be something that you are missing.
To conclude my post, I have decided I need a break from Instagram. I am going to delete the app from my phone for 2 weeks. So when you see that I haven't liked your photos, you'll know the reason why! I want to gram and not give a damn, and enjoy Instagram like I used to.
Ladies and gentlemen, anyone who is still reading this and isn't pissing themselves laughing, I hope you have enjoyed my rant.
Remember, Instagram is a platform and we are the actors, it's NOT REAL.
I hope this has helped anyone out there who has a sickly addiction to Instagram like me.
Thanks for reading!
Lots of love,
Alex
x
So today in the midst of essays, exams and revision, I figured I would write a post about the app that makes our thumbs sore from scrolling, the biggest form of procrastination yet, and the friend we all love but also hate. Yep, you've got it, I am going to put my hands in the air (or on the keyboard) and have a rant about Instagram.
Firstly, I have an Instagram addiction. I have always been a lover of the ol' gram. I love capturing moments and making them look as pretty as possible, even if that does mean photos looking staged or unrealistic. I've always loved sharing memories with the world, liking my friends' photos, and even exploring the accounts of other creative people, and following them like I've known them my whole life. It honestly felt like I'd gained an award when Dr. Martens requested for one of my pictures to be posted on their official account. I was buzzing like a bee.
However, recently I've found myself not enjoying Instagram as much as I used to a few years ago. All I seem to find myself doing is scrolling infinitely through my friends' friends' girlfriends' friends' boyfriends' friends' friends' boyfriends' friends' photos. I mean... what the hell am I doing? Where is this going to get me in life? Why do I care? The amount of time I spend gawking at the sexy girl on my screen thinking 'ooo she's tanned', 'oh my god why is my bum not as curvy as that', 'hang on is that edited?', 'I wonder if her boobs are real', 'they have the perfect life' etc. WHY DO WE FEEL THE NEED TO COMPARE OURSELVES?
In addition to this, there are apps that revolve around Instagram that cause further problems. I downloaded the unfollow app, an app where you can find out who has unfollowed you. Clearly I cared that much. So I downloaded it, and then found out that someone who I knew from school had unfollowed me and I thought 'what on earth did I ever do to you?'. After finding out about this audacity, I unfollowed them because they unfollowed me. Shortly after this, I then unfollowed someone else because I realised they didn't follow me! What was I turning into? It was absolutely beyond the valley of tragic! I soon came to my senses and deleted the unfollow app, because I felt rejected and heart broken. This didn't last long. I downloaded it again because I realised my followers had gone down and I was dying to know who it was who had betrayed me........ THIS IS TORTURE. WHY DO WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES?!
Ridiculously, you then start questioning your friendships with people when you find out they liked one persons Instagram picture and not yours. You confront them jokingly about why they didn't like your picture, and soon realise that you've wasted another chunk of your life thinking about a like on Instagram that didn't even mean anything. THIS IS ACTUALLY PSYCHOTIC LIKE I FEEL LIKE A PSYCHO EX GIRLFRIEND.
The competition rages further when people post pictures. Peak time is key 'between 6pm and 9pm or you won't get as many likes'. Regarding the caption, who's is the 'punniest'? Did your friend even go on holiday if they didn't Insta? Is your mate even going on holiday for a tan, or for 'the gram'.
Instagram gives an audience a false sense of reality. You will never see anyone post a picture hungover in bed with no makeup on and a sick bowl by their bedside. You'll never see anyone post pictures on a rainy day, or when they're upset. Is it an app that only encourages us to show the positive side, or is it merely us, as an audience who fear that anyone else in our world will see us not having a good time?
I was 16 when I first downloaded the Instagram app. I am now 21- AN ADULT. It sickens me a little to think that a 12 year old girl or boy could be using this app and obsessing over it as much as I have. Because they're so young they are likely to grow up thinking that this is real and thinking that it's normal to obsess at home for half an hour over what Instagram caption to use and which filter will make them look more perfect, instead of hanging out with their friends and laughing at the ridiculous selfies they took in the New Look changing rooms.
I know I must look quite lame right now, but I am honestly shocked at how much this app has influenced our lives, for the better, but also the worse. I could have probably travelled the world and come back with the time I've spent on Instagram. I know there will be a lot of people reading this thinking 'woah this girl is crazy, it is not a big deal', but I 100% know that I am not the only one! Despite this rant, I know I love Instagram, and I will never fully delete it. Not having it is like sat at home when there is a party going on and the FOMO kicks in. There always seems to be something that you are missing.
To conclude my post, I have decided I need a break from Instagram. I am going to delete the app from my phone for 2 weeks. So when you see that I haven't liked your photos, you'll know the reason why! I want to gram and not give a damn, and enjoy Instagram like I used to.
Ladies and gentlemen, anyone who is still reading this and isn't pissing themselves laughing, I hope you have enjoyed my rant.
Remember, Instagram is a platform and we are the actors, it's NOT REAL.
I hope this has helped anyone out there who has a sickly addiction to Instagram like me.
Thanks for reading!
Lots of love,
Alex
x
Advice from me to me...
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