It's in our human nature to seek validation. We like to be heard, to be right, to be loved. At our general core, we tend to get lonely and feel like nobody understands our plight. It appears as if there's not another soul on the planet who's going through what we are. Enter the dangers of social media.
Social media has many wonderful uses. We can use it to make plans, to share our work and causes, and to keep in touch with far away friends and family. This isn't a piece that's meant to bash social media, but more a cautionary tale in the ways we choose to abuse it.
In current day, the first thing that a lot of people do in the second that they feel slighted, is to run to social media and broadcast their outrage. Whether it's to complain about workplace conditions, to brandish how mistreated they were in their last relationship, or to complain about their family's bad habits, these types of call to attention run a very serious risk.
When you start to open up your personal details in a public forum, they are evergreen. People remember, screenshot, and discuss everything. By sharing these feelings on these platforms, you open yourself up to judgment, ridicule, and opinions that you may not want to hear, sometimes from complete strangers. How many times have we seen someone complain about an ex-lover, only to get back together with that person. Now not only have you soured your friends on this person and made them look like a bad mate, but you look equally awful for taking that person back after you slandered them with such vitriol. Now your friends have a negative opinion of both of you that you likely don't appreciate, and it all could've been avoided by keeping it out of the public eye. Even long after you delete these hasty, spur of the moment posts, they never go away.
Needing an ear for advice or seeking the comfort of your inner circle is a very natural thing. But when it revolves around drama and negative emotions, it's best to work those out in an alternative way. Speak directly to the person that has hurt you. Talk in person to your trusted friends to get their thoughts. Allow yourself the time to sleep on it, work out your aggression, and come back to the situation when you're not reacting out of anger. Put yourself in the hands of the people that know you the most intimately, not two-thousand strangers who may have ulterior motives. It may feel good in an irrational burst to summon people to your platform, but once the moment passes, involving yourself in public drama will only cause more regret.
Only you live your life, and life comes with enough judgment on its own. Don't allow others the option to throw their narratives onto your story.
