Social media – really social?

What was considered new and exciting over ten years ago is now part of the everyday life of millions of people: social media.

But is this connectedness really as great as it is suggested to us?

After years of excessive use, I have to admit to myself that it is not.

The idea of sharing inspirations with like-minded people on a platform like instagramhas been lost over the years. Now followers and followers and likes, the so-called reach, matter much more than individuality and aesthetics.

People become brand ambassadors, with sponsorship from companies scripting almost every image to reach the target audience – mostly teenagers or mid-twenties who are still finding their way in society or simply want to belong.

I have decided not to play along anymore.

Of course there are also smaller accounts with fewer followers, private accounts that have not committed themselves to a brand or any new products, but as soon as an account breaks the ten-thousand mark it gets dangerous – companies send you every bit of rubbish, you feel famous, are finally allowed to influence and your new expensive lifestyle is even paid for.

Many bloggers drop out of their studies to finally become self-employed, to give their body, their face, their life to dubious brands and make it available.

Is that what you have always dreamed of? If so, then I congratulate you. If not, I feel very sorry for you. There is no envy speaking from me – quite the opposite. What am I supposed to do with a thousand more or less pointless products? I do not want to answer emails day in, day out, starve myself to a size zero so that every trendy pair of trousers fits me, and pray discount codes from overseas companies into the camera for the hundredth time. No, that is all too much for me. A grotesque development that I no longer want to be part of. size zero , so that every trendy pair of trousers fits me and I can pray discount codes from overseas companies into the camera for the hundredth time. No, that is all too much for me. A grotesque development that I no longer want to be part of.

Apart from that, these apps consume our time in an incredibly high degree – without us noticing. We sit there with our devices – or are still lying in bed and are already swiping through the vast spheres of social media. That continues all day long – before boredom can even set in – we reach for our smartphone promptly and are instantly satisfied by the flood of information in the form of texts and images.

We feel connected, can reach our friends scattered all over the world every second via Facebook. We have a lot of digital friends, even though we regularly clean up because we no longer know whether we have actually already talked to this or that person or even plan to in the future. Comments and likes trickle under the new profile picture on which we show ourselves from our best side. It was shot in the park in the sunshine. Of course everyone has to think it is beautiful. But in the evening we sit alone at home. No one gets in touch. Everyone is out and about posting the most delicious Buddha bowl in the world for the equivalent of just €2.50 in Thailand, the coolest concert from Coachella or the last-minute flight to Lisbon. Cooler, bigger, faster, further… the whirlpool seems never to stop, keeping up is impossible: I would rather finally get out and devote myself to nicer things like reading exciting non-fiction books on my balcony and raising small plant cuttings.

Please put your smartphone aside. Do not photograph every fancy drink, sunset or fitness walk. Enjoy the moments – whether on a walk in nature or verbal exchange with people. The sun is shining, so go to the Main, meet up for a barbecue or make friendship bracelets and mix DIY deodorants. Have fun and joy in life offline. Because that is what is really important in this world.

Josefine Lietz