| I've never been out of the country. Will I one day? Sure, but it's not like I have a burning desire to leave tomorrow and spend significant amounts of time and money at some tourist destination on the other side of the earth. I don't really participate much in social media, I have my own interests and like to just do my own thing. I have friends who share similar interests and sometimes we'll do those things together. I don't have to share with random facebook friends (whom are really just acquaintances -- who really has 200+ real friends?) how many countries I've been to, how many miles I ran this morning, the wonderful healthy breakfast I ate, the celebrity I met on the street, or how amazing my volunteer experience was, how wonderful my bf/gf/husband/wife is, how crazy it was at the night club, etc etc etc. I have great memories of lots of things I've done, and I share those memories with the people I experienced them with, and sometimes I'll tell those experiences to close friends or family members, or share them at relevant moments in social situations like a related conversation taking place where I can actually add value (as opposed to just hearing myself talk and looking for more validation from the others around you). I do what I do and I'm perfectly content. Social media as a whole is an opportunity for people to sideline brag and make them feel part of "the club." They achieve their validation by how many people "like" their photo or post. Volunteering and traveling are two things that some (keyword some) people use as a vehicle to make themselves seem more important or esteemed than others. If you haven't traveled, surely you're a naive American who doesn't know anything about the world outside of your own bubble -- BUT on the otherhand, if you see the eiffel tower in person you somehow become wise and cultured by that experience. If you haven't volunteered recently, you certainly must be a selfish prick. And of course these people don't say these things directly to you, instead they have become an expert at implying them passively. Meh. There was recently a thread on front page of HN about which social networks middle school and high school kids are using. It's mainly instagram, and it's used as a vehicle to allow some kids to attain status as "popular". Everyone "follows" the popular kids, etc. I think the article of this thread highlights how that same popularity contest exists for older people too. Except it's on facebook, and you become popular by posting travel photos, volunteer photos, your color run photos, etc. |
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them" ... "So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men."
Another saying about players...(this one's not scripture)
"Real players don't say they're players; they just are"