#the instagram face trend really is ruining us as a society

[purpleparrot]

lurking on this girl i know from high school who became a makeup artist on instagram and she always posts pictures of her clients and her work and stuff and it is insane how similar everyone looks nowadays

[bettinaerquieza]

New Media, New Beauty Standards

"Beauty is an enhancement and not a replacement for who they really are on the inside. The key is being comfortable with YOU." - Ayesha Pough

As a child, I had never associated myself with any Disney princess. Instead, I would just wonder what it is like to be them. Upon growing up, I was judged on my capabilities solely based on my weight. I was convinced that I would never be called beautiful, because according to TV commercials and billboard ads, body hair, discoloration, and acne are unattractive. In generations, beauty is a slender build with a proportional amount of chest and a tight waist. Its skin tone is as bright and flawless as a white pearl. It also has a well-defined jawline, sharp and high cheekbones, a pointed nose, and a sensual full set of lips. Its eyes are large and bright like sparkling diamonds, and hair is as soft and shiny as newly woven silk. It has a greek god's face, symmetrical, and blemishes are nowhere to be found—indeed a magnificent work of art.

That's why seeing diversity nowadays in campaign ads and people advocating for body positivity—calling out whoever dares to label a fat person ugly or a skinny person anorexic, had given me so much joy and hope that society might be starting to change for the better. But until now, I still don't see something or someone I could relate to.

I understand that advertisements are made to attract the audience they are trying to reach. Though, as an aspiring media practitioner, I firmly believe that you can get through your target viewers without pinpointing people's insecurities or giving them an unattainable glamorized version of who they are or who they want to be. The impacts of how media portray a particular look can potentially affect so many people's way of seeing themselves whenever they look in the mirror. I also stand entirely behind the concept of improving yourself and aiming to be the person you want to be. However, you shouldn't lose yourself in the process by doing such. Your mental and physical well-being should never be jeopardized.

The rise of new media has enhanced communication among people through the utilization of technology. It is now integrated into our daily life because society depends so much on it for communication, such as contacting friends and family, staying up to date on the latest news and trends, and sharing memories, especially since the pandemic deprived us of meeting people in the flesh. Yet, while it advances, media has given us also the power to distort and reshape perspectives and realities—the complete opposite of its purpose. One of these is setting and presenting more beauty standards, impacting one's self-esteem, developing depression and anxiety due to body image dissatisfaction.

But now, as new media continuously develop, it includes individuals of different races, genders, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. Thereby focusing more on breaking stereotypes, also causing beauty to emerge and give us variation, making room for people of color, plus size, hairless, and people with gray hair and wrinkles. Gone are the days where we lack diversity. We are shifting towards a culture of being open and not only giving one representation of beauty.

Everyone is welcome. Every single one is beautiful.

But do we really believe that?

Everyone's concept and version of beauty can now be seen serving looks in New York Fashion Week, TV commercials, online posts, or on runways. Although, we cannot deny that media still gives us unrealistic beauty standards. In today's day and age, there is now an "appropriate-looking" plus-size body. Stretchmarks are now being glorified and considered attractive, but only when it's not dark and you have it on your thighs or butt and not on your stomach. All skin tones are now being recognized and appreciated, as long as they are glowy and flawless. Yes, we have evolved. However, our unattainable standards have, as well.

There are many outlets for beauty and fashion tips, yet these are not a guide to beauty. Instead, they are just another way to make many women and men feel as though they are worthless (Skolnick, 2020). The constant pressure to look sharp and perfect is still there, regardless of our body type and skin color. Social media often portrays augmented images and distorted truths, such that social platforms have become flooded with "ideal" qualities. No matter the platform, whether a social networking site like Instagram or a micro-blogging site like Twitter, people yearn to present their best self to the public (Washburn, 2018). With technology advancing by the minute and newer apps surfacing online, social media has an immediate effect on beauty. Due to the ever-changing body images depicted online, individuals are turning to social media handles for acceptance and support. (Henriques & Debasis, 2020)

That's why the evolution of beauty standards will never stop. If we keep on seeking validation and affirmation on social media, then solving this constant ongoing problem will never be achieved. Emphasizing that beauty is supposed to be subjective will never be firmly embedded into our hearts and minds.

Don't get me wrong, I, too, have allowed myself to be intoxicated by the poisonous notion that my beauty is based on the number of likes. I know getting compliments on your latest post can be so gratifying. Because all my life, I've always felt so out of place. Then whenever I get a notification that someone reacted to my photo, the sense of belongingness instantly sinks into my veins—I finally feel as though I am genuinely accepted by the world. But little did I know this was the one that would ruin me even more.

Beauty is subjective. As Margaret Wolfe Hungerford once said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," meaning we all have our own definition, concept, and image of what it is to be beautiful. No one can ever dictate who you want to be and how you want to present yourself. We have to stop expecting everyone to understand it; what matters is that you appreciate your beauty, truly embracing every inch of it.

Let us learn to grasp that no amount of likes or comments people leave on our social media accounts will ever be enough to define your worth as a person.

Beauty is like a self-portrait. It is personal—yours to create.

Let us make that the beauty standard.

References:

Gee, R. A. (2018, July 25). Beauty By Soul Definition. . .. Thrive Global. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/beauty-by-definition/

Givhan, R., & Morales, H. R. (2020, January 7). The idea of beauty is always shifting. Today, it’s more inclusive than ever. Magazine. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/beauty-today-celebrates-all-social-media-plays-a-role-feature

Henriques, M. (2020, September 21). Social Media and Its Effects on Beauty. IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/73271

Mbabazi, B. D. (2019, October 31). Society and unrealistic beauty standards. The New Times | Rwanda. https://www.newtimes.co.rw/lifestyle/society-and-unrealistic-beauty-standards

Skolnick, S. (2021, June 12). Modern beauty standards and their effects on society. The Inkblot. https://theinkblotnews.com/10701/opinion/modern-beauty-standards-and-their-effects-on-society/

Washburn, A. (2018). Beauty Imbalance: Social Media's Dictation of Worth. Brigham Young University

[latestageyouth]

Sanders sides youtubers au

Virgil alias Anx1ety

11.8 million subs

- Pretty much just Poppy

- It started off as a joke with their college friends in 2011 but then it grew larger and people started making conspiracy theories about their channel and they just...rolled with it.

- The first music video they made wasn’t even a video it was just audio (but a really disturbing one, think faceshopping by SOPHIE)

- The only difference between Virgil and Poppy is that Virgil didn’t start off their music by fairly normal music, they just went full-on Voicemail.

- They eventually got contacted by a record company in their rise in popularity, and with that, they could release even more music.

- They do a lot of streams on twitch

- also Virgil doesn’t go in public that much in the summer and spring, as they need to cover their face to not get constant harassment from their fans, and you can’t exactly do that without getting a heat stroke

Roman alias Prince-SingALot

3.2 million subs

- Started off as a cover channel that gained attention after he started covering Disney

- He eventually started making vlogs too, mostly storytimes but then just regular ones

- His subscribers then found his Instagram. He went from having 200 followers to having 2,000 to having 2,0000 in two days

- Can play like,,,,6 instruments at once

- Prank videos? Pranks videos...

- he doesn’t care about consistency, he just makes videos that he feels like doing

(Has a strict schedule tho-)

- does cosplay and cosplay tutorials. he had once dressed up as amethyst and all the fans thirsted for him.

- made a p!tad covER ONCE and the emos converted him (golden days specifically)

Logan alias LogicVsHollywood (Later changed to TeaSpilled)

4.2 million subs (roman is still mad about the million)

- started off being CinemaSins and ended up...uh... I don’t know he’s basically a meme

- started exactly 6 and a half trends and introduced 4 new slang terms

- He was just happy living his life pointing out inconsistencies in movies but then Roman just had a make a collab with him about Disney movies and had to ruin his image of a professional asshole.

- He reads all the comments. That’s how he noticed the slang terms, so, naturally, he started using them himself. That’s also the beginning of the meme king

- He eventually started making videos on youtube drama and discourse, calling these videos “Tea Analyzed”

- He doesn’t even realize what an icon he is among teenagers, I don’t even think he could comprehend it

Patton alias Patcake

70.7 k subs

- was originally a cooking channel (like he still is but like-)

- when he didn’t talk about the recipe, he talked about his day and stuff which led to him doing ask videos which led to him doing storytimes which led to him doing-

- you get the point.

- He is everyone’s dad. Everyone’s. Are you his fan? Adopted. Are you a kid that accidentally spilled his drink on him? Adopted. Are you a rabbit? Adopted.

- he is friends with Roman and Logan and talks about them a LOT

- he once made a reaction video collaborating with Logan about Anx1ety and was traumatized for a week.

- You will literally not expect him. He just rambles on and on about his day and then he just,,,,gets like really dark and depressing for a second and then turns back into his happy self. Patton what is going on. Who hurt you. PAtttOn tHe fanS ArrE COnceRNED-

Ethan (Deceit) alias blogmylife

1.0 million subs

(notmylife - 730.6 k subs)

- his channel is a web series like EverymanHYBRID or lonelygirl15. He’s been on youtube since 2009. He is eternal. He is what the god’s fear.

- Probably appeared as an extra in some of Anx1ety’s videos. 

- He has another channel named “notmylife” which is just his personal ooc channel. He uploads conspiracy theories in there, also his pet snake videos. Also his bf. Just his stuff.

- blogmylife is run by him and Remus, but Remus has his own channel too.

- I have not figured out what the series would be about, but I reckon it would be very psychological and eerie. It would have disturbing psychological elements (Remus) mixed with some sort of “society against me” concept (Ethan)

- blogmylife also has a twitter. It is very much in character and is mostly ran by Ethan

- Anx1ety is subscribed to him. It caused a lot of commotion and a lot of Anx1ety’s fans ended up watching the web series.

Remus alias Frick

971.9 k subs

-...that’s...that’s his username...he didn’t even fucking try....

- Prank videos? Prank videos! *horrified screeching*

- Lives with Roman, so he loves fucking with his brother. But not in the “confuse not abuse” way, half of his “pranks” aren’t even funny, he’s just an asshole. There’s always some drama going on with him (which Logan very appreciates-)

-When he’s not doing that he films videos about Ethan and his snakes, or his rats.

- oh yeah, he has 2 rats. Their names are Thumb and Brian because how could he skip out such a reference but also fuck expectations ema rite?

- Also does conspiracy theories but the nigahiga kind. He just takes the most ridiculous one and connects all the dots.

- also does a lot of “controversial opinion” videos with opinions he doesn’t even have just for shits and giggles.

????? alias Anne‘s Corner

89.4 k subs

- No one really knows anything about who runs this channel

- Anne has a hood up, a bandana over their mouth and sunglasses on their face

- They do let’s plays mostly

- when they don’t do let’s plays they talk about the lgbt+ community

- there are a lot of theories about who Anne is, but Anne has a video series debunking the theories

- They also did multiple videos telling people to stop guessing who they are as it makes them very uncomfortable and telling people that they hide their identity for a reason

- records videos in their closet

-Roman asked them to collab multiple times but was always rejected

- both Logan and Ethan did a video on them separately

[hina-akatsuki]

THE 10 YEAR CHALLENGE

So the people of the internet, as always, have managed to come up with another concept/challenge that has gone viral over the social media, namely the “10-year challenge “. Here, people engage themselves in posting pictures of themselves from 10 years back alongside a more recent one to see how much they have evolved in that given time span. However, what started off as a meme on the internet, the concept also triggers a more deep and introspective approach towards one's behavior towards themselves as well as their surroundings. It has managed to target not only the changes in oneself but also highlight the drastic changes that have occurred in the world over a decade.

 It’s quite curious as to how this trend came into being and why it has received so much attention with the commencement of 2019. Also known as “the glow-up challenge”, “2009 vs 2019 challenge” or “ How Much Ageing Has Hit You”, the roots of this trend are unknown. Some suspect the idea emerged from Facebook’s “memories” feature that lets people revisit their old pictures. As to the significance of the year 2009, people relate to 2009 as the year in which social media really took off, especially Facebook.

 With over 1.6 million posts on Instagram under #10YearChallenge, the concept has gained criticism, with some claiming it to be narcissistic, ageist and sometimes bit sexist. Others suspect it to be a scam to feed data into a face recognition algorithm.

 Among all the smiles and giggles, a serious version of the hashtag has emerged. Campaigners have warped the rules of the challenge to throw light on more concerning issues that mankind currently faces. Pictures of retreating glaciers, starving polar bears in Antarctica, crumbling buildings as an aftermath of civil war paint a disturbing portrait showing where we stand after a decade.

 #10YearChallenge has managed to portray a baffling contrast of the past and the present and appeal to its viewers about the changes one should really worry about. To mention a few, over the decade, temperatures on earth have increased( 2018 was reported to be the warmest year for the world’s oceans), coral reefs have dried up, thousands of innocent lives have been lost or ruined in war and cities have been uprooted in the middle east.

 However, the transition from 2009 to 2019 brought in some positives as well. According to the World Bank and the UN, extreme poverty is at its overall lowest, child mortality and youth illiteracy are both down and global life expectancy has increased( courtesy -www.bbc.com).

 Even so, this doesn't portray the entire picture. While poverty and illiteracy have hit a low point overall, under-developed regions on the globe(especially the sub-Saharan region) still remain affected.

 While keeping an eye on the personal gains and positive changes that we have come to realize over the span of a decade, there is no doubting that #10YearChallenge, like few others in the past( #MeToo,#IceBucketChallenge etc) has succeeded to offer more to society than just another internet fad. It has managed to grasp large scale attention, spread awareness about matters of concern and lead viewers to reflect on their actions and enlighten society.

 Considering the adverse changes the world has gone through, however, just spreading awareness won't be enough if we want some reversing changes for the next decade. In fact, our goal shouldn't be just limited for a decade, it should be so much that the next generation is benefited.

 The challenge proves as a wake-up call for humanity to not only self-reflect but also reflect on its actions and bring about some major changes. In the end, it comes down to us how we mold our future and what we make of it.

 So, I believe we have a decision to make. Would we just limit this concept to ourselves or would we expand our boundaries and use it to our power to spread awareness and bring some phenomenal changes to the world?

PS- Bit delayed with the post but there you go...As usual comment! much appreciated!

[theherblifeblog]

Effects of Magic Mushrooms Retreats Will Last Longer Than the Trend

Nicolle Hodges

“It seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Aubrey Lang, 26, tells me over the phone. In January 2020, the farmer (and soon to be lawyer) attended Rise Wellness Retreat -- a psilocybin microdose retreat in Jamaica -- which, unbeknownst to him at the time, would have a positive, long-term impact on his romantic relationship.

Interest in psilocybin—a naturally occurring compound in "magic mushrooms" or psychedelic mushrooms that was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann in the late 1950s—is starting to seep into mainstream dialogue, with major publications like Forbes and The New York Times reporting on its potential benefits; an uptick in clinical trials with promising results; venture capitalists looking to invest in the next big thing; even Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Netflix show, The Goop Lab, dedicating its first episode, “The Healing Trip” to exploring the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs. “Retreats, to me, represent a groundbreaking milestone shift in the global consciousness towards the use of mushrooms as therapy,” says Lang. “It really opened my eyes to a whole other dimension of therapeutic application.” 

The effects of psilocybin include euphoria, perception changes, an altered sense of time, and spiritual experiences. When combined with psychotherapy, one recent study supports claims that it can effectively treat depression and anxiety years after taking the drug. In the 1960s, psilocybin research boomed with more than 1,000 studies published on its effects, and then abruptly halted when recreational use got out of hand a decade later. Psilocybin and other psychedelics were classified as Schedule 1 (the same drug status as heroin), and it’s been a slow increase in acceptance since the late 1990s. As more studies explore the use of psychedelics for mental health and medical purposes, we’re now experiencing something called “the shroom boom,” (first reported in 2018) with plenty of new investment opportunities on the horizon for the projected $50 billion “mushroom market.”

But Lang wasn’t thinking about any of that while sitting by the ocean just steps from the villa where he had recently ingested a macro-dose of magic mushrooms. (Where a microdose is considered a “glow” in that you will feel something that is barely perceptible and alights your senses, a macro-dose (or larger) are 1+ grams of dried mushrooms which may cause a psychedelic experience, disorientation, profound introspection, and intense emotional experiences).  

“It made everything new again and it broke me out of the set ways of looking and labeling everything in my life by shining a new light on it,” says Lang. “With the support of the whole Rise team, it was a great opportunity to reflect on myself and life.”

View this post on Instagram

Did you know dreaming can recharge your creativity? Your brain problem solves during dreams, and mimics the creative, waking thought process. Who knew!

A post shared by Rise Wellness Retreat (@risewellnessretreat) on Apr 8, 2020 at 5:25pm PDT

For Jacqueline Chambers, founder of fashion and travel blog TGIF, she deliberately went on the trip without any expectations and was surprised by what she found. “I was like, ‘will we be tripping balls all day?’ But no, we dug deep into the seeds that society has planted in us, most of them not based on truth, and checked in with ourselves and each other to uncover our own truths,” she says. “I went with my friend to have fun but I got so much more out of it. I had my dog since I was 17 and just had to put her down, and went through another shitty breakup. I didn't realize that pain was still there, but when it came up, I was able to set it down and be free.”

The retreat had a ‘choose your own adventure’ itinerary that balanced group activities, classes (yoga, aquatics, meditation, and Natural Movement), educational workshops, therapeutic shiatsu treatments, trail hiking, art-making, and leisure time.

“Being in such a beautiful place like Jamaica, you felt connected with the world again, and through that, you learned how to be of service to others,” she says.

For Lang, his love life shifted because of those same realizations—and an earthquake. 

“It was our last day in Jamaica,” he says, “and I remember the pool suddenly looked like a wave pool.”

News spread around the world that a magnitude 7.7 earthquake had struck off the coast of Jamaica, and was felt as far away as Miami. The Washington Post and CNN reported that it was one of the strongest earthquakes on record in the Caribbean. Jamaica, however, doesn’t usually suffer from natural disasters and there was no damage done to the island. But at the time and from the outside, the situation looked much worse than it was.  

“I messaged my girlfriend telling her that I was OK, but then my phone died so I didn’t respond to her for hours,” he says. “She felt a deep sense of panic at the idea of losing me, and when she went to read a book to distract herself, the chapter was titled, ‘Death.’” 

When we talk about the experiences that change us, specifically through psychedelics, rarely do we hear about the impact it has on the lives that orbit our own. For Lang and his girlfriend, it was the realization that, had he not attended Rise Wellness Retreat, their love for one another might not have shifted into focus. 

“We used to let little things like minor disagreements ruin our day, or the week or month. It would build into this negative downward spiral, but now we're building in an upward spiral,” he says. “It took us having to face losing each other in order for us to really appreciate one another.”

And that, he says, speaks to the entirety of the psychedelic experience. To surrender and let go, to “zoom out” from your life and worries, can offer a new and important perspective that is not always available in our daily lives. 

View this post on Instagram

When it comes to macrodosing (doses of 1+ grams of dried mushrooms that may cause disorientation, profound introspection, and intense emotional experiences) we work in smaller groups.⁣ ⁣ Our macro facilitators have years of experience in dosing and creating a safe environment and vibes. Feeling supported from the beginning of a psychedelic trip to the end, whether micro- or macrodosing is an important part of the full experience. ⁣ Read more about Rise’s commitment to safety, preparation, and integration — whether you’re experiencing magic mushrooms for the first time or the hundredth [link in bio]

A post shared by Rise Wellness Retreat (@risewellnessretreat) on Feb 25, 2020 at 7:47pm PST

“When I take a psychedelic, I have to let go of my preconceived conceptions of who I am. It’s this idea that you have to lose yourself to find yourself. To me, that means living from a trusting place, being comfortable with the unknown, being present and in the moment, not needing to analyze and conceptualize everything, and trusting that everything will be okay. That’s where peace comes from.”

When Chambers returned home, familiarity bred some habitual (and expected) contempt. “If only I could be at a beach in Jamaica all day,” she laughs over the phone. “But bad stuff would still happen there, so it’s not about constantly changing your scenery, it’s about changing yourself.”

She says the trip inspired her to do more research into spiritual and natural healing, and that having a follow-up with Robin Banister, Rise’s on-site therapist and facilitator, really helped the experiences from the retreat stick with her, even when daily stresses started to creep in. “The Rise team works with everyone from veterans who have had to carry bodies with bullets flying around, to people with serious trauma, to me, someone who had to put their dog down,” she says. “People should know it’s a safe place for all types of healing. It’s structured, organized, and well thought out. There isn’t a single detail you will have to worry about.” 

[fashiontrendin-blog]

What Social Media Is Really Doing To Your Life

http://fashion-trendin.com/what-social-media-is-really-doing-to-your-life/

What Social Media Is Really Doing To Your Life

It’s time to come clean about your social media diet. Do you mindlessly gorge, like a greedily banqueting Tudor monarch, on every morsel of political proselytising, #foodporn imagery and toxic rants, with the calorific side dishes of fake news and erstwhile schoolmates’ saccharine overshares? Or do you eat clean, with a lean intake of Twitter browsing and not much else?

If it’s the latter, lucky you. For most of us, social media is consumed as ravenously as the latest drop of Yeezys are by sneakerheads. Be honest: FashionBeans isn’t the only tab open on your browser right now, is it? We’d wager there are a few Facebook windows, Twitter or Instagram running in the background and some trivial videos involving at least one silly cat. You’re likely well over your RDA already. But don’t worry: it’s not your fault.

Actually, worry a bit, because it’s probably having a real, measurable impact on your life. According to the increasingly loud collective voice of finger-wagging experts everywhere, social media could be contaminating your legit social life, as well as ruining your relationships and ability to properly consume information. In other words, it’s making you sad-face emoji and a bit stupid.

But, much like with real food, the poison is in the dose. Overindulge and you’ll get fat on misery, sure. Keep things under control, though, and your online diet can still be nourishing. To that end, here is the science behind what social media is doing to your life, plus how to swipe control back from your phone.

What Happens When You Overuse Social Media

It Lowers Your Self-Esteem

Back when research into social media was in its nascency, a link was already being established between its use and some potentially nasty side effects for your personal image. In a study published in the Journal of Website Promotion (catchy name), researchers discovered that including strangers in your friends list has a negative impact on self-esteem. It’s now taken as read that spending excess time looking at selfies skews your self-image.

It Buggers Your Posture

…and your breathing. A study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science saw a notable uptick in bad posture, neck problems and even respiratory difficulties in participants with the highest social media usage. Your head weighs a lot. Leaning it forward to get closer to Emily Ratajkowski’s latest swimwear is doing a number on your neck.

It Makes You Depressed

The more time you spend on social media, the more likely you are to be depressed, says a study in the Journal of Depression and Anxiety. The researchers didn’t just point to general correlations; their test found that it’s doubly damaging to people who curate false lives online, presenting an exciting version of themselves that’s hard to maintain offline. Finding the right light for your abs or always having an aesthetically interesting dinner can be exhausting.

It Damages Discourse

Social media negativity became a trending topic itself after Chamath Palihapitiya, former vice president for growth at Facebook, came out and said: “The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops we’ve created are destroying how society works.” He’s since qualified those comments, but his sentiment was clear: likes and smileys rip the nuance out of important conversations.

If it’s not bitesize, hashtagged and viral these days, it’s hard to find and probably not talked about. Palihapitiya said that sites like Facebook cause us to mistake popularity with truth.

It Makes You Covetous

Danish researchers analysed over 1,000 people and concluded that the online world makes us unhappy. They made particular reference to those who suffer ‘Facebook envy’ being at most risk of depression, due to constant insidious ‘social comparison’ (think of all the times you’ve punished yourself by looking through the holiday snaps of a seemingly richer, taller, handsomer, more awesomer connection). Dislike.

But It Can Also Make Us Happy

It’s important to note that all these negatives are based on over and improper use of social media. Some studies suggest it can, in fact, be a force for good, especially when you don’t spend more time on virtual relationships than real ones. A paper published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication found a direct correlation between intensity of Facebook usage and life satisfaction, civic trust and political engagement. Done right, social makes you more, well, social.

Retake Control

Take A Break

The best social media diet involves intermittent fasting. That Danish research into ‘Facebook envy’ and the unhappiness it creates also found that a week-long stint offline equals an increase in both life satisfaction and personal well-being.

It’s not the first study to suggest that a hiatus can undo much of the damage. Block out a week each month and delete Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and any similar platforms. Surprisingly, the world won’t fall apart around you.

Properly Engage

Blaming social media for sadness is like blaming cake for putting on a few extra pounds. Facebook themselves have recently acknowledged that improper use can be troublesome, but that’s down to how you use it. Mindlessly scoff down fistfuls of nonsense, and you’re on your way to an addiction and poor mental health, they say. Properly engage and comment, and the experience is much more rewarding.

Use A #Filter

Blue light has been found, in study after study, to affect your brain, eye health and sleeping patterns adversely. Much of social media’s purported negatives could be chalked up to poorer sleep quality, an improvement in which is the closest thing we have to a panacea for all of life’s ills. A study in the journal Chronobiology International found that filtered light does no such damage. So if you can’t resist Trump’s latest tweets while tucking yourself in, at least view them through a filtered lens by using the Night Shift mode on your phone.

Make A Cut

Check your friends. Following someone like YouTube millionaire Casey Neistat due to #goals is likely just giving you major envy. Equally, finding #inspo in a fitness influencer’s daily selfies is, according to Australian scientists, probably chipping away at your body image, too. Plus, as the earlier study stated, too many strangers equals low self-esteem.

It’s time for a cull. A big one. Take control back from your friends list and unfollow with reckless abandon. This is a detox of your social media intake in the most literal sense. Bad connections are like bad calories. Toxic ones are like consuming food that’s gone foul. Your diet’s due a cleanse.

[gmbalusek-blog]

Research Journal 6

Ok so I’ve come to a conclusion: reading people’s comments and conversations to online pictures like memes is basically almost as good as reality t.v. Seriously, people get wayyyy to into arguments with random strangers on line about pictures that are meant to be jokes. So, I went online to read some reactions to memes because I wanted to get a sense of how people seem to react to memes. I ended up finding out about this huge controversy that I somehow missed last summer. Apparently, there was a major freak out by a ton of serious liberals who argued that the Harambe the gorilla memes were racist. I’m assuming everyone knows who Harambe is because… let’s face it, if you don’t know who Harambe is then you’ve been living under a rock. Even my mom knows about Harambe, and she called me a few weeks ago asking what Instagram was…. So these liberals said it was racist because the gorilla’s name was very African, and that American’s were mocking it; “another side to Harambe’s popularity-one inexorably tied to racist ideas about black people, Africa, and gorillas”. They also argued that it was right around the time that the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter was trending, and that the gorilla was a great cover-up by the American public to move the attention away from the serious topic of African American rights to something stupid and unaffiliated with race.

This whole thing made me realize just how much memes played a role in society this past year, specifically with social movements like the Black Lives Matter movement. The meme, which originally was a reaction to a specific event eventually created its own event that then created its own dialogue and discussion; basically, memes are pretty damn powerful. This also ties into my research about race-related memes, because according to a study many minorities said they had been the target of micro-aggressions, and thought this was directly related to the extensive use of stereotypes in the media. For the case of Harambe, it was particularly popular amongst stereotypical white, “frat boys”. It made me think about the liberal argument, because I think there’s something to be said for the fact that the meme blew up in the young white male world right around the time that the black lives matter movement was popular, and targeted specifically young white males. People use memes as a reaction to events, but also to create a dialogue. 

Then I looked for some reaction from people who had become memes… and their reactions were pretty classic. Denzel Washington became a meme during the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight, and was photoshopped to have an over bite and side-berns, and was named, “Uncle Denzel”. The photo was captioned with things like, “So your mom doing good? She seen anybody?”. When asked about the meme during an interview his response what honestly fucking terrifying. He responded with: “If I had my wallet I’d show it to you, those who can do, do, those who can’t talk about those who can. Now can you or can you not?” Ouch. He was apparently really offended by the meme, as was fellow celebrity Demi Lovato who had a meme called “poot”. Apparently she refuses to talk about it, because it makes her so angry. Then there’s an asian woman who was a model and then became a meme. Apparently the meme “ruined her life. Because of what has happened I haven’t been able to sleep and have broken down crying many times”. I guess everyone loves memes…until you become one.  It’s interesting how much American’s love making fun of one another, almost to boost their own self esteem, yet they flip out when someone makes fun of them.