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     This is Essena O’Neill, who recently quit her Instagram with over half a million followers and reedited her pictures to show the real story behind the photos she took.  On her instagram she stated: “Without realizing, I’ve spent the majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status, and my physical appearance. Social media, especially how I used it, isn’t real. It’s contrived images and edited clips ranked against each other. It’s a system based on social approval, likes, validation in views, success in followers. It’s perfectly orchestrated, self-absorbed judgment.”  

     Coming from 18-year old, this is a big deal.  It is important to understand that social media is a filtered reality, one in which only the poster wants you to see.  There is so much time and energy dedicated into each post, and for what? The person posting the picture is saying "hey look how fun and interesting I am by posting this picture of me" but in reality its just a pick of the best picture, filtered and altered for this "reality" of social media.  We are not really living by posting every moment of our lives on the internet, we are taking away the real moments to really live and enjoy the moments that we have.  A "like" on a photo should not have the effect it does on our self-esteem and it does not change our self-worth.

 

     

 

social media is not real life

 

"I don't want to support a social sharing site that makes views and subscribers the point of focus. I spent hours watching perfect girls online, wishing I was them. Then when I was 'one of them' I still wasn't happy, content or at peace with myself. Stripping away distractions made me question everything I did online. I want you to do the same,"​

Why she quit:

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