If Narcissus was born in 21st
century, he would be the one with the maximum number of friends on Facebook,
most frequent status changes, highest number of updates and the most elaborate
photo album. He would be the one who gazes indefinitely on his laptop screen to
look out for any notifications or friend requests. Doesn’t this sound like your
own story?
Narcissism is a personality
trait characterised by excessive obsession of oneself with his/her own worth, self-esteem,
clout or public image. It’s an obsession to the extent of cutting yourself out
from the exterior world and living in a paradise of your own. The aim of social
media is to promote social interaction and bonding. If social media in any way
promotes narcissism, it is something which is in total dissonance with whole
purpose of its existence. In this article, we will be mostly talking about
Facebook as an example for our discussion on social media because it has a
reach and appeal unprecedented by any other networking site of the present
times.
A number of updates from
different individuals rapidly squashing in and competing on the News Feed doesn’t
help us but think that our Facebook walls are nothing but big advertisements
spaces where everybody is busy publicizing themselves and everyone has become
an advertiser. Every guy is a photographer these days; every girl is a
potential model just waiting to be spotted. Everyone can sing to perfection and
anyone can dance to admiration on YouTube. We are too busy promoting ourselves
and while doing so we do not care if people appreciate our talent genuinely or
just mechanically hit the ‘like’ button. The definition of a friend has changed
altogether. From a “Friend in need is a friend indeed”, it has changed to “The
first one to like and comment on your updates”. There is nothing more
shattering than your best friend not ‘like’-ing your photo which you very
carefully and meticulously edited.
Social media is superfluous
with superficial sentiments. Life is all rosy except for some occasional arousal
of the real empathetic nature of human through the sharing of photos of missing
persons or ailing patients needing donation. In those cases, social media shows
its true worth and power. On other occasions it’s just about show offs. Tweets
on critical issues are highest from those who do not want to leave the comforts
of their couches and get themselves to act in that regard. Facebook is full of
queer people doing odd things like wishing birthdays and anniversaries to their
family members on Facebook rather than calling them up. Some people are a big
fan of themselves and don’t shy away from liking their own updates. The whole
purpose of trips and excursions has got constrained to the photography which is
done in order to show it off to the so-called friends and to prove that we are
the most happening bunch of people. Some people update each and every activity of
theirs as if they are some celebrity and others are keenly interested in their
way of life. Updates about checking into some expensive restaurant or spending
night over some friends’ abode, Facebook knows it all. Everyone is busy faking
how merry their lives are or how intimate are their relationships, how grandly they
live their lives and how their stories are worth everyone’s envy.
While all this is true, a
person glued to social media cannot be termed as a narcissist. These are
characteristics of an addict who remains active because he believes that
Newton’s third law holds true here. His each and every action will be followed
by an equal and opposite reaction. It’s actually true since it’s seen that one
is most likely to receive comments and likes if he himself avidly comments on
other’s profiles. This chain of activity is a big stress buster and takes you
away from the monotony of the daily routine. People find solace in the love
that people bestow upon them by way of their likes and comments. One feels
connected to the world when he is logged on to Facebook. Social media alone is
not the cause of such an addiction. The whole internet world is addictive.
Social media has just gone a step ahead by serving everything on one platter.
To love oneself is no crime. In
fact wisdom says that others will love you only if you love yourself. But
self-indulgence to such an extent that you become oblivious of world is
definitely not advisable. There’s nothing wrong in seeking attention? Attention
seeking syndrome is inherent in human nature. But you should remember that one
gets it only if he deserves it else he doesn’t irrespective of how much hue and
cry he may make.
There is a very thin line
between well deserved acclaim and false vanity and it can be highlighted by understanding
the difference between advertising and marketing? Though one may not be able to
chalk out a clear separation line between the two, they are much different.
Advertising is way of generating public awareness about a product/service.
Marketing is a more wholesome concept which revolves around offering a value
product. Advertising without any marketing effort is useless; similarly,
excessive usage of social media without any specific purpose is detrimental to one’s
brand value. Marketing ourselves is not narcissism. After all, this is what every
corporate is using social media for. It’s not bad to do personal branding. If
you have substance, flaunt it. But no one likes to listen to the noise of empty
drums. Every organization keeps on saying ‘Like’ us. Does that mean they think
too highly of themselves or are narcissistic? No, they aren’t. It’s just a
marketing gimmick and a strategy to come closer to potential customers. The
‘Like’ word on Facebook is actually a misnomer. The word actually means ‘get to
know me, I have something to offer’.
Social media is undeniably the
real face of globalization. It has made people come closer like nothing else. Facebook
is breeding a culture of liking and appreciating the minutest things in life.
Mutual appreciation spreads love and strengthens bonds. Facebook helps sustain
relationships by remembering birthdays, helps open up to people easily, helps
keeping in touch with long lost friends. Most importantly it helps share smiles
and laughter. Social media gives us a sense of belonging to the global society.
After all, man is a social animal and social media just feeds into this desire
of ours.
As far as the criticism goes,
we must not forget that every new invention comes with its own set of
drawbacks. It’s on the user to pick out the roses from the thorns and make the
best use of it. We all have learnt PLC (Product Life Cycle) in our marketing
lessons. Running parallel to this Product Life Cycle is another important cycle
which can be termed as the Product Usage Cycle.
When a product (or a service)
gets freshly introduced in the market, it generates a fresh fervour and buzz in
the market. Innovators rush in to try out the product. This can be called as
the ‘Amuse’ phase. In the second phase (‘Use’ phase) the relevance of the
product gets established and people find the significance of the product in
their lives. In the third phase known as ‘Overuse’ phase, the product becomes
so overtly popular that it catches the attention of every tom, dick and harry
and makes countless buffs out of the masses. In the ‘Abuse’ phase, due to
unwarranted excessive usage the detrimental effects start to mushroom, leading
the way to the next phase, the ‘Accuse’ phase. Questions are raised about the
real worth of the product. The next phase is marked by stability in usage. It’s
when the entire furore settles down with the controlled and well-aimed usage.
This we can call as the ‘Choose’ phase.
The topic of the article
itself is a testimony that Social media is probably beginning to enter the ‘Accuse’
phase. So, this denigration of social media in regards to promoting narcissism
is not uncalled for. It’s just a phase and will pass if not given in to. The
gist of the whole debate is that one must know where to draw a line between the
good and the bad and make proper use of every innovation.
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