The simplicity of social media kind of defeats the purpose of creating meaningful relationships between us. There are only two choices for a response to a post: thumbs up or thumbs down, “likes”?
When there’s a posting about a tragedy regardless of the beauty of the writing, the sincere feelings conveyed, when you click “like” what is the meaning behind that? Exactly…?
Are you “liking” the actual tragic event and its aftermath?
Probably not.
What’s there to “like” about it?
Without commentary specifically pointing out what you support in the message, your “like” is a waste of time, and downright insulting to the poster as well as the victims of the event.
That is an extreme example of what’s amiss about the whole social media emphasis on quantity over quality. Advertisers base their rates on the quantity of “likes” without any consideration for the quality, if any, behind the product.
People are NOT products.
“Like” is too general a word to have any specific quality attached to it, so our reaction depends on the quantity of the “compliment.” Even when it may not be a compliment after all.
So why does social media encourage us to consider the number of “likes” a plus, a boost to our ego, a validation of the post, when the intention behind the “likes” may have nothing positive associated with the click.
Body Confidence is always about quality, never about quantity.
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