Written by Geovanni M.
Nowadays, we think of life as before and after Facebook. Day by day, the website becomes increasingly relevant to our daily lives. Every day, when we wake up in the morning, the first thing we do is reach for our phone and check to see if there are any notifications from our “friends.” Yes, because the world that Facebook has built for us turns everything into “friends,” “statuses,” and “memories” classified according to how many “likes” they get. This phenomenon is simply the reflection of human interactions conditioned by clicks.
Studies have shown that this social network affects our behavior in a negative way much more than we’d like to think. According to experts, addiction to Facebook and, by extension, the internet is one of the twenty-first century’s new illnesses. However, the fact it has 1350 million active users and it has been translated into 70 languages goes to show that these warnings are falling on deaf ears.
One of these studies argues that our “wall” reveals more about us than we’d like. The possibility to share images, information, and content with other people increases the chances of being classified according to our interests, just like the statuses we post. For instance, narcissism is only one of many traits that can be identified based only on the statuses that users post every day.
At the same time, just like posting selfies frequently isn’t a sign of mental stability, the way we express ourselves through Facebook says a lot about our personality. For this reason, it’s important to be careful the next time we post a status because it could be the clearest reflection of our low self-esteem.
Posting too many selfies
According to studies from the University of Brunel in London, scientists determined that people who upload more than two selfies a day (or more than five a week) tend to suffer from low self-esteem. Experts say that they do it to obtain validation from others through their likes and comments.
Passive-aggressive statuses
Posting images or statuses that are clearly meant for someone or are about that person is another sign of insecurity and, therefore, low self-esteem. The only thing these passive-aggressive posts will accomplish is show that you don’t have the courage to talk about the problem directly or confront the person.
Posting a lot of memes
It’s common for people who don’t have their own sense of humor to share in collective jokes like memes. For the most part, this shows poor social skills and an inability to relate other people in a conversation or the community.
Boasting a large number of “friends”
Researchers say that this number is deceiving. Having a large number of friends on Facebook isn’t synonymous with being popular, much less having a healthy social life. People who add “friends” without really knowing them show that they’re only doing it for the attention that a large group of friends brings.
Posting their accomplishments (in excess)
There’s nothing wrong in sharing important milestones. However, people who do it constantly tend to mistake fame for success. Their showing off is a sign that they need other people’s recognition to appreciate their accomplishments in life.
Bragging about material possessions
The things you own and the money you have don’t define your worth as a person. So, when you brag about your possessions all the time, instead of making you look better, it’ll reveal your deepest self-esteem issues. In other words, posting about your wealth is a desperate call for attention based on what you own and not who you are.
Food pictures
People who post pictures before, during, or after a meal have severe self-esteem issues. Their behavior shows that, for them, this is much more important than spending time with the person they’re with or enjoying the moment.
Replying to posts like: “like and I’ll comment” or “like and I’ll post on your wall”
This aspect is directly linked to the user’s maturity level because people who get involved in these kinds of dynamics tend to be immature and have low self-esteem. Both the people who start it and the people who reply are usually incapable of fostering real bonds beyond Facebook’s walls.
Commenting on or liking your own post
Meanwhile, people who comment on or like their own posts are not only narcissists but also show deep insecurities. Actually, what they’re doing is reinforcing their own opinion because deep down they think it’s weak or useless.
Participating in “challenges”
Trends like the “ice bucket” challenge or the “In my feelings” challenge have invaded Facebook and other social media. However, despite their popularity, doing them just because they’re trending points to the user’s need to be on the spotlight.
Facebook is a media phenomenon, and its impact in society is more than evident. Using it responsibly and limiting the role it plays in our life depends wholly on us. Therefore, in a world of so many “followers,” we have to be careful with what we post and how we do it.
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