Social media is “social” in the sense it relates to society at large. People seek connection with society to find the communities they belong to, a marketplace for their services and ensure their own welfare as a member of that society.
Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and others have revolutionized the way we connect to the world; we can find people with similar interests, search new job opportunities, make big announcements and follow the latest news and trends.
However, social media has very little resemblance to how we actually socialize.
Imagine your most recent social interactions: Met a friend for coffee? Cooked a new recipe with your significant other? Played a game with the family?
My golden rule: if this isn't a moment you would share on a stage in front of all your acquaintances, don’t put it on social media.
I still want to remember these personal moments… but how? I tried capturing the story of my life many times and failed every time.
- Journaling didn't work because life got too busy and I fell so far behind it was impossible to catch up.
- Collecting mementos seemed like a good idea until my closet was full of stuff that was difficult to throw away.
- Organizing iPhotos remains on my project list even though I know deep down I'll never do it. Machine learning has improved iPhoto organization on my behalf but will never have additional written context to complete the story.
- Some friends document their lives by sending themselves WhatsApp or email messages, but I found it to be an unnatural way to use these applications.
Most people understand social media is a great way to connect us virtually but are finally realizing it is a poor representation of our real lives and relationships.
It's just as bad, if not worse, than the other ways I tried to document my story.
The revelation that social media is not "social" in the context of my real life was the inspiration behind starting Reel You. If you've come to a similar conclusion, I'd love for you to become a Founding Member here. Reel You is creating a personal media platform to capture and selectively share personal moments in a way that tells the real story of your life.
(Disclaimer: The Author is a Founder at Reel You)
Photo Credits: Kev Costello & Elliot Sloman