Selfies, self and social media
We live in a self obsessed and over exposed culture. Social media has created a framework to support our current insatiable desire for showing off. How did the previous generations use photographs before and how we do nowadays? I always thought that they immortalised precious memories to be shared with a very close circle of intimate relatives.
Now we parade and are under an avalanche of too many pictures that are either painfully trivial or almost inappropriately public. I wonder why? Insecurity? Comparison? Thoughtlessness? I guess most people are just carried by the popular wave….
The incessant social media addiction (and the secret of the owners’ financial success) that most users struggle with, is fuelled by pride dressed as either curiosity or attention seeking insecurity. You can only tell how bad you suffer as a social media user if you try to break free. This is a very revealing battle in our souls as Christ-followers. We struggle to make time for drawing near to God in devotion and intimacy, and often social media is a stealth thief of soul edifying moments.
This isn’t a vilification of social media. The context and culture of social media has pitfalls but can be brilliantly redemptive and positive too. The key is how we use it. We need to step back and evaluate. We need to filter and make wise choices. For some, social media is feeding the pride monster to such an extent, that signing off is probably best.
Our security isn’t rooted in likes and comments. They are like opiates. Short term and damaging solutions to much deeper problems. We all long for acceptance and freedom. Only in Christ we can discover the ‘real deal’. As we battle our insecurities, we do well to remember these old wise words written long before the selfie generation by Robert Murray M’Cheyne: “For every look at self, take ten looks at Christ.”
