Craving Internet PopularityIf you've spent any amount of time on the internet, chances are you are connected to some sort of social networking site. We won't mention any names, but one in particular seems to have drawn more than its share of negative publicity for making people 'unhappy'.
Let's own up to our feelings people - you're not unhappy unless you choose to be. I'm not talking about depression, or illness, or fibromyalgia, I'm talking about that feeling you get when a person won't be your 'friend' or a 'friend' dumps you or won't talk to you or 'like' your stuff. Heck, it could even be that feeling when you put something up for sale or auction and no one will buy it. You feel... rejection.
Which is absolutely ridiculous - those 'friends' that won't talk to you - do you really want them to? Ever? A little? Every day? Even if you're related to them? If someone you try to 'friend' is also someone you know by name but have never really had a complete conversation with, is rejection really a reason for unhappiness? And if your product isn't something that's wanted by the market right now, is that your fault?I'm not speaking from a sense of superiority, I get the same illogical feelings myself. When a person I knew in high school (and that means simply that I know they were there at the same time) decided to 'unfriend' me, I actually felt bad. When I post things that get 'shared' but not 'liked' I have that feeling of 'hey that's not fair - if you are going to use it, you have to like it'.... why? My link to this site is almost never 'liked' yet I have a reader base that surpasses my wildest expectations (and I thank you all profusely for that) and yet I feel bad each time another link passes without at least one 'like'. That. Makes. No. Sense.
But being the social creatures we are, this was bound to happen. No matter where you live or what social media you frequent, we all want feedback for one reason or another - either to validate our opinions and contributions or to simply stroke our egos. But do that and you're setting yourself up for a fall.
The 'studies' released have been incredibly skewed - as well as not very reliable as invariably they use a small amount of 'examples' using only certain types of internet services. That's a major DUH to then conclude that using the internet (and certain social sites) will make you unhappy the more you are online. A large study, considering all factors (and not using just college students as subjects) would have to be done over the course of a considerable period of time to come to any kind of substantial conclusion.
Certain studies conclude that if you do 'A' activities, you will be happier, while 'B' activities will do the opposite. Pffft, the opposite is true for me, so what does that say about their 'facts'? One article states that it's like going to a bar to study the effect of booze and talking exclusively with alcoholics. Well said.
So if surfing the web for hours is making you feel depressed (or just lonely) here's a really DUH suggestion: TURN IT OFF. Go for a walk (if you're physically able), read a book, catch up on your television shows (if you're like me, being here gets you really behind in your favorite shows), take a nap. And for heaven's sake, if your particular social site is not getting the 'attention' you think it deserves - skip a day or two and see how you feel. We had a power outage one winter that lasted a week - no internet, just books, candles and a warm bed. You know what? It felt pretty good. I once dumped a whole lot of stuff off my social sites and couldn't believe how much time it freed up (I need to do that again).
So people, if you're feeling neglected or unwanted, don't look for validation on the world's latest connection that's more impersonal than a snail mail letter. Turn it off and look to your family (or pets, they're wonderful too) for validation, love and acceptance. Oh, but don't forget to read my reviews first. Thank you very much.
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