Social Life Impact On The Existence
When meeting an individual for the first time, it is unlikely that that person will portray his real or truest form. This happens for a multitude of reasons but one common reason happens to an individual’s insecurities. According to brainyquotes. com, Phaedrus explains how “Things are not always as they seem; the first appearance deceives many. ” In the novel The Great Gatsby, author Scott Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s pursuit of the American dream to show how many individuals get caught up in presenting a false personality. If social media existed when this book was written, Gatsby would have fit well amongst the crowd. His pretense, however, would not have lasted long because he would never be able to escape his past life, it would never disappear. Although social media can help individuals feel connected to others, it fuels an individual's constant desire to feel socially accepted and keep up a fake appearance.
To begin with, many individuals put up a pretense on social media because of low self-esteem. In the novel The Great Gatsby, the character Jay Gatsby changes his name and social status as part of his false persona. Gatsby tells Nick about his good upbringing and how he came to acquire his wealth. He claims that he is “the son of some wealthy people in the middle west-all dead now. . . ”. In reality, however, Gatsby belongs to a lower-class family and changes his identity in order to appear wealthy. This boosted Gatsby’s self-esteem and made him fit in with individuals of the higher class. This concept relates to the idea in the video titled “What is in your mind?” Scott posted pictures on Facebook of activities he did not do in order to get likes and make his life look interesting. People have a facade on social media to get away from their current problems in life and to feel better about themselves. People can go to any extent to get attention and be admired. Just like Scott, Gatsby put on a rouse at his parties and in front of any individual in order to gain acceptance.
Furthermore, a false persona also allows individuals to step out of their regular lives, allowing the audience to see only what they intend to portray. In the article “Three Reasons Jay Gatsby Would be Undone By Social Media” the author makes connections from 1920 to current modern literature, more specifically, on Jay Gatsby and his high social status. As stated in the article, “Social media has a tendency to make images, statements, and events high profile / just like Gatsby was associated with the lavish parties he hosted”. Because of his outward appearance, Gatsby was known as a rich mysterious individual. However, he had to make this reputation come from fiction to reality and “So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent and to this conception he was faithful to end”. At the age of seventeen, Gatsby’s reality was not one he wished to be remembered as and so he created opportunities for himself to make them come true.
On the other hand, social media can be a means where individuals can connect and keep up through photos and videos. Many individuals think social media is a great way to meet new individuals and learn more about them, however, that is not the case. According to “Social Media Pros and Cons List” it shows that “93% of adults on Facebook use it to connect with family members, 91% use it to connect with current friends”. So many individuals use social networking sites to connect to their close ones. In the book, characters were lonely so they use parties to feel bonded to each other. Next, from the “History Of Social Media,” the author states that through social media young individuals get easily connected to politics and social changes. It says that “More than a quarter of US voters younger than 30 (including 37% of those 18-24-year-old) reported that they obtained information about the 2008 presidential campaign from social media”. This shows how younger individuals get their day to day news through social media which makes them attached to society. Overall, adults and young individuals connect to family and the news through social networking sites, they are really connected to social by following news sources on social media.
To conclude, many people feel socially isolated and have a constant desire to keep fake appearances through social media, people feel more connected to others easily. Even though many individuals feel that social media connects them to society and friends, but in reality, everyone is doing their own and not interested in other's opinions. At last, social media also had negative effects on an individual's reality.
