Since leaving university I have noticed a decrease in my Facebook usage. It’s not as if I’m using all social media any less – I can often be seen poring over Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram at numerous points throughout the day. So why have I been avoiding that big old F?
Well, I put it down to the braggers – the people that take to Facebook to tell the world how much better their life is than others; how amazing their job is, how they’ve booked a one-way ticket to sunshine and frolicking and how their farts smell like eau de perfection (the last one is obviously a joke, but I wouldn’t put it past some of my newsfeed regulars). I’ll admit that I’ve 100% been guilty of this in the past- I posted many a gloating status when I was on my study abroad year in Australia, and I will probably take to Facebook to announce landing my dream job (soon, hopefully). But now that I’ve finished uni and am fighting to get on the career ladder, these are updates I no longer feel that I need to see. I’m trying to get my life together and become a grown up, and I cannot seem to face the idea of others being one step ahead of me.
I’m probably way behind the times here, but I was pretty impressed and amused when I came across this video showing how you really can fake it on Facebook. The clip sees a guy living through rough situations in his life, but portraying to his many internet friends that he is living the dream. I was also extremely amused when I heard of how Dutch student Zilla van den Born faked a whole trip to South East Asia using impressive Photoshop skills and regular updates. This clever trick fooled her friends and family, and was performed by Zilla to show how easily we can distort reality online.
Having watched these videos, I am comforted in the knowledge that what is portrayed online isn’t always reality. Don’t get me wrong, I am partial to a filter on my Instagram pictures and often attempt to be wittier than I naturally am on Twitter, but I can rest assured in the fact that my life is not as mediocre as it seems by online comparison.