Life– Terror. Ecstasy. Fight. Denial. Flight. Failure. PAIN. Forgiveness. Reconciliation, Hope. Love. Peace – Death
‘Am I sad? Sadder than my peers, my friends’?
On some days. I have moments when the crises of the world, our seemingly unfaltering determination for self-destruction, get the better of me and become unbearable. I could literally climb to the top of the highest building and scream, ‘what are we doing’? However, most days I am grateful. I am taking action, trying to have the best life that I can. But am I happy, do I feel happy?
I know what I post, the visible evidence of my life, my grandsons, my adventures, my experiences, my travel pictures, food, cars, [too]? many such photographs. Evidence of my ‘enjoying life’, the good weather in the big city with friends and family. Following our dreams. However, what I experience every day, all around me, is different, especially in work. The young humans I regularly connect with [teach], many of them are struggling within their lives, with life itself. Why?
The notion of being an “ironically sad generation camouflaged by unlimited happy images via social media” is a perspective that some people hold, reflecting a perceived contrast between a curated happiness often portrayed on social media and the underlying struggles and challenges faced by individuals. While it’s difficult to generalize the experiences of an entire generation, there are several factors that contribute to this perception
Reels [highlights]
When we only ever see edited highlights [by someone else – their view, what they want us to see], we are only ever seeing a [distorted] perspective of life. Editing can, and does, completely alter perception and is often deliberately and unscrupulously applied via social media platforms to fulfill an agenda.
Social media platforms tend to showcase the best [and worse] moments in people’s lives, tiny glimpses emphasizing whatever the angle that suits the orchestrator. This perspective can be positive, achievements, milestones, sad and happy experiences or negative, failure, chaos, pain, misery often camouflaged within humour, a humorous post, created to justify [to make] a point designed to sell a product, to sell an idea, to influence somebody. A deliberately, carefully curated highlight reel can create a distorted perception of reality, leading to feelings of inadequacy or unhappiness when comparing one’s own life to the seemingly perfect lives portrayed online.
Masking Vulnerability
Social media often encourages a facade of happiness and positivity, as people may feel pressured to present an idealized version of themselves. This might be by manipulating their own body image, positively enhancing their physical appearance or by demonstrating their materialistic achievements, exotic holidays, admirable experiences, ‘Showing off’. This can make it challenging to openly discuss personal struggles, creating a disconnect between the reality of emotions and the happiness projected online.
Ramping up of Social Comparison
The ‘Look what you could have won’ factor! Apologies, only those of a certain age will ‘get’ this reference. A clue? Two words, Bullseye and Speedboat. Social media can intensify the tendency to compare oneself with others, leading to feelings of inadequacy or dissatisfaction. Constant exposure to others’ seemingly happy lives can contribute to a sense of sadness or discontent when individuals feel they fall short of those ideals.
Mental Health Challenges
Mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness, are more prevalent in 2023 society than ever before, poor mental health is rife, poor mental health has become the new ‘bad back’ within working society, currently at epidemic levels especially so within 13–21-year-olds. I work with young people, I do not know one such 17-21 year old who DOESN’T have a mental health problem.
While not limited to any particular generation, these challenges can be exacerbated by the social pressures and unrealistic expectations perpetuated by social media, contributing to a perception of collective sadness.
It’s important to recognize that while social media does play a role in shaping our perceptions and emotions, it is still only one aspect of our lives. For some the most dominant aspect and in extreme cases the only aspect. Many individuals experience a range of emotions and face personal challenges that may not be apparent from their online presence. The damage has already been done we are currently only facing the beginnings of what is to come. We are already facing a mental health crisis that we are not prepared for. It’s crucial to prioritize mental well-being, engage in open conversations, and seek support when needed, both online and offline. This has to be funded. To fund this means something else will not be funded. Our capitalistic society is not [yet] prepared to prioritise mental well-being and care.
Ultimately, it’s essential to approach this topic with empathy and recognize the complexities of human emotions and experiences much of which are influenced by events and circumstances outside of our control?
I read these words, ‘sad generation, happy pictures’ and, looking around me at the young humans I connect with, they really strike a chord. On reflection, I would tweak those words, ‘sad world, happy pictures.’ I genuinely fear the worse for our world, for the future of my wonderful grandsons. Currently I cannot see any future. In resent years I’ve wondered if it’s because I’m older and life gets increasingly more difficult as you age for so many reasons or, is it just a generational thing?
I thought, well, maybe it has to do with the fact that our [my] generation were some of the first to go through college, graduate, and find that there were no jobs available in our fields. Unrealistic, politically infused optimism, false, idealistic, hope. Truth is we’re constantly being compared to those who came before us, they had the jobs, so why didn’t we?
I now realise, that no, it’s us and everyone who came [and went] before and after us as well. We’re all . . . sad. The world is crying, the world is sad.
Why is that? Is it social media and the idea that we have to live up to certain expectations? It used to be that our aspirations were set by those of our parents. We [their offspring] aimed to live up to whatever standards they wanted to hold us to. We [often subliminally] hoped to do as well, hopefully that little bit better than they did, to get to have a rewarding job, a career we could love, to travel the world, to own our own homes, to drive a nice car, to have regular holidays for us and our kids?
From our physical appearances to our career choices, we’re now constantly being judged, and at the end of the day, does it even matter? Absolutely not. None of the people who ‘judge’ us really matter to us? So why should we care so much?
Now, it seems like the expectations start the minute we open our eyes and just don’t end, do they? What is it about these times that makes our society so hungry for attention? So demanding, so entitled? The generation of, ‘its my right’.
What is it about these times that makes our society so needy, so hungry for attention? By the way, this is a question I ask myself as well. Why do I need to show the world ‘my life’? I do think about this…my rationalisation [excuse] is simple, ‘because I can’?
It’s as simple as that. I can and I do. The mechanisms are before me to use [and abuse]. And, once you start it is hard to stop. As you approach the end of life one of [my] greatest fears is to be forgotten, or rather, not remembered? Social media allows me to deposit proof that I was hear, a bit like a dog pissing, marking his territory? The hope is that those that come after me will, one day want to explore my piss trail.
Social media definitely has a lot to do with sadness, in the sense that we are constantly [deliberately] manipulated into wanting more and wanting things that we probably wouldn’t even think about if not for social media. I wonder what the internet might have been without manipulation. What it would have turned out to be if it had been left alone and allowed to just grow organically?
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think wanting more is completely a bad thing, provided it is considered realistically? The problem is that when we are bombarded by pin point accurate marketing that presses all of our buttons over and over again suggesting we have to have [it is our right to have] whatever the products and services they are promoting, the way in which that infiltrates our thoughts that is the problem.
Life is difficult.
All of us have a lot of crap we haven’t worked through. The older we get the more shit we have. Things happening around us to those we love, our loved ones, those that matter to us and things happening to ourselves. Things we cannot control. Sometimes, things that go back to our childhood that maybe we try not to think about at all, but when it’s triggered, it messes up the rest of our positivity our happiness.
What do [can] we do about it?
I don’t know. Therapy? Everybody is different? I have read that therapy helps with trauma. Depends on whether you think you are experiencing trauma, I suppose?
Not going on social media at all? Would that be ideal? Not for me, although I accept that social media uses me but I use it as well. Not sure it’s a 50-50 relationship but I would not want to give it up completely, I [still] get enough from social media to justify my participation. Anyhow, who are am I kidding, there is no going back right? At least, not until the ‘big AI reset’? Until then the Jeanie is out of the bottle?
I will say this, when I don’t check social media first thing in the morning I often have a more positive day, same last thing at night, I usually have a better sleep. I also try to start my day with gratitude, a ‘happy to be here’ approach. I start counting things I’m truly grateful for. My family, my friends, the fact that I’M ALIVE.
There is no simple fix. There is no fix at all if I’m being honest, it’s a movable feast. I do feel happier now [today] than I did 6 months ago. Take what you [we] can when we can get it? The simplest things are often those that are the happiest. As my good friend and GP, Doctor [Andy] Lee once said to me, [Mr Reynolds], ‘there are things you can change and things you cannot, no point in focusing on the things you cannot.’
Thanks for Reading
Peace
Dying to Live 