Is Social Media Worth Baring Your Soul To?

Like many people of my generation, I use my Twitter account for ranting. Somedays I am pissed about vegetables going bad at the speed of light, somedays I am annoyed at Timothée Chalamet for not being aware of my existence.

At times, I am just screaming into the void, fooling myself that when I am in a good mood that tweet will hold no relevance in the larger scheme of things. Why should it? It was four minutes ago and I am a different person now. Since that is not how things work in the internet age, I tend to delete or archive my social media posts when I start to judge myself for them.

Nonetheless, there is some power in vulnerability. Sharing on social media can also feel like catharsis and sharing the load. Heavy feelings sometimes get completely transferred into the keyboard and the post going online leaves us feeling a little better. The urge to seek validation is also fulfilled on the internet. It is bound to feel good when someone tells us, " I too have been going through something similar." People who have been made to feel different in society find others like them on social media and form a community.

So many social media users tend to share and almost declare their sexual identity online in order to feel validated and in control of their life. Sharing vulnerable information about yourself is sometimes important to establish the truth and help others recognise it. For instance, if so many women had not shown the courage of sharing their experiences of sexual violence, we would have never known about their abusers. However, sharing has its set of side effects too.

Oversharing on social media

We know that the internet is also a toxic place where people manage to make each other feel the worse about themselves. Once we put out a piece of information, people treat it as per their wish. As a result of which we see people getting bullied on social media, threatened with life and dignity. If people can be kind and supportive, they can also be opportunistic, insensitive and dangerous. So is it worth being vulnerable on the internet?

Suggested Reading: What Is Secondary Trauma And How To Cope With It?

Many people on social media share about their mental health issues and traumatic experiences. Of course, we seek sympathy, and it is natural to do so, but is it worth being targetted by trolls who think mental health awareness is a sham? Besides, is it fair to dump the weight that is too heavy for you to carry, and then expect others to bear it for you? This way, I am just dumping my baggage, my trauma on someone else without caring about how they will suffer under the weight of it.

Unlike a heavy suitcase, trauma barely leaves us if we try to hand it over to someone else. Instead, the act could end up impacting well being of two people, instead of one. What really makes trauma dumping a morally wrong thing is the lack of consent. An article published in 2020 draws a similarity between trauma dumping and cyberbullying. "They feel bolder saying what they feel while hiding behind a screen. " While it may come across as harsh, think about the impact unloading your trauma online, unsolicited and without any warning can do to other people.

What really makes trauma dumping a morally wrong thing is the lack of consent

Social media is virtual, it is not real and we tend to forget that. It is easier to forget when social media most times feels the only place to be. Especially during the pandemic, the feeling of social media being the be-all and end-all of our existence was reinforced as it helped us stay connected to people.

But like all good things, the evil nature of social media cannot be ignored. It is to be handled with caution. Being vulnerable and aware of our feelings is healthy but not at the cost of ridiculing our own emotions. When we bleed out in words and pictures, we make ourselves available for scrutiny and judgement. We also become the reason for someone else's discomfort. Considering such consequences, can being "real" on the internet be a good thing?

Maybe someday we will build responsible social media spaces where everyone feels physically and mentally safe. Until then, I will keep working hard to get Timothée Chalamet's attention and ranting about things that are of no value to most people.

Views expressed by the author are their own.