Friends take a picture to share on WeChat Moments. (Photo : YouTube/TMD Shanghai)
One of the most interesting features of WeChat is called Moments, where people can post pictures, video, or a status update. By carefully selecting the things to upload, the user gets the chance to present himself in the best possible light to his family and friends.
According to WeChat user Paul Cui (via Global Times), WeChat has become one of the most popular social media platforms in China as people get to share thoughts and ideas on the site. It also lets one convey his or her mood at the moment, and keeps friends updated on one’s life.
With thousands of people privy to one’s posts, it’s natural that users will want to present their best self on WeChat Moments. This can be done by editing one’s photos and presenting a positive version of one’s personality on posts.
However, it doesn’t take very long until WeChat Moments users start to feel like a fraud. While photos and comments that are deemed too ugly or negative are deleted or kept out of one’s account, these omissions could actually reflect the true state of one’s life.
The same goes for other social media sites, such as Facebook and Instagram. The latter has recently become the most notorious of all platforms, as many users have been accused of using the photo sharing site to craft an Insta-perfect life which may or may not be true at all.
Some people have also used the site to brag or “humble brag.” When photos explicitly display how successful, happy, or “blessed” a person is, it creates feelings of depression and jealousy for those who want to have a similar life.
These negative feelings make people aspire to have more and be more. When so-called Instagram “life goals” aren’t met, some users start to feel dissatisfied with their lives. According to the Daily Mail, academics warned that people who regularly surf such sites are in danger of becoming socially isolated.
So when it comes to social media posts, users would do well to edit out truly unpleasant thoughts or unflattering pictures. But one’s true self and true lifestyle should also be glimpsed on these sites.
Better yet, turn off the smartphone and actually meet people in real life. It’s the only way to get a true sense of who people really are.
