Let's Get Over It: 4 Reasons I'm Not Outraged Social Media Is 'Fake'

I know everyone uses social media for different reasons.

I understand our motives for posting certain things and leaving out others are all over the board, ranging from wanting to feel accepted to a deep-rooted craving for attention.

With all the recent outrage going on about social media being “fake” and “unrealistic,” I’ve tried to become outraged as well. I’ve tried to see where all the outrage is coming from.

I’ve tried to be mad at people I follow for “lying” to me in the way they portray their lives. I’ve tried to find outrage inside me because I know you didn't wake up like that.

I know you sometimes kind of think your kids are jerks.

I know you don’t love every single meal your mother-in-law cooks for you.

I know, sometimes, you absolutely hate being single.

I know, sometimes, you fantasize about telling your boss exactly what you think and never coming back.

The problem is this: I’m not outraged. Not even a little bit.

I truly am not upset by all the editing and “lies” I encounter on social media every day.

Here are the reasons why:

1. Your social media posts are about you, not your followers.

When you upload a perfectly filtered and edited picture or post to social media, you’re doing it for yourself.

You’re doing it for your own need to be liked, wanted or accepted.

If you’re able to get that from social media, I can’t really be upset about it.

2. You want to connect with people in a way you can't right now.

Maybe social media is to blame for this.

Or maybe it's due to the fact that social media exists in the first place that you have an outlet you wouldn’t have otherwise.

Maybe social media has helped you overcome social anxiety. Maybe social media has helped you keep in touch with old friends and long-distance relatives.

Due to social media, you are now able to reach people in a way that is truly unique to our generation. I can’t really be upset about that.

3. You’re curating a life you desire to have.

By only posting amazing, beautiful pictures of yourself or self-deprecating jokes that help you laugh at the flaws you want to wish away, you are able to create a world in which you love yourself.

By only showing yourself and your moments in the best light (and angle) possible, you are designing a life you are proud to be leading.

Even if that self-love and pride is only present when you are logged into your app, reading glowing comments from your friends, that’s more love than you might give yourself otherwise.

I can’t really be upset about that.

4. Your online presence is your family archive.

When you post about how your heart could explode with joy at the sound of your daughter’s laugh or that you just had the best glass of wine of your life, you are archiving memories you will be able to retrieve later with just a click of a button.

You post moments and memories you want to remember years down the road. You write your newborn son loving, heartfelt messages on social media so that one day (far, far away) he can log in and see your total devotion in black and white, from way back when.

If you don’t want to remember the days your daughter cried more than she laughed or that terrible dinner experience on your wedding anniversary, I can’t really be upset about that.

We’re all doing the best we can.

If we only want to highlight the best and greatest moments on social media, we can’t really be upset at each other about that.