Thursday 4 September 2014

Social Media

I have to say I am a fan of Social Media. Going by the amount of different outlets I have: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Blogger, YouTube to name a few and the shear volume of time I spend on them each day I would have to say I'm a fan... but actually I hate it.

A friend (when I say friend I obviously mean someone I went to school with and haven't physically spoken to in 6 years) had a little boy the other day. I noticed when a comment congratulating him and his partner appeared on my Facebook news feed. He hadn't put up a status or any pictures at this point and I never really thought much of it. Until today. 

Today he put up a few pictures accompanied by a status that really cemented my hate for Facebook. I won't copy the status word for word but it followed the lines of 'here's my baby, never been a happier, mother and baby are doing fine now, had a few complications to begin with so didn't want to paste it all over Facebook, but seeing as some people can't keep their mouth shut, here he is'. Obviously it was worded better but you get the idea.

The bit that annoyed me the most was 'I didn't want to' but somehow he felt obliged. Now I don't know the ins and outs of the 'complications' and don't know the severity (from the pictures the handsome little chap looks great) but regardless, does Facebook put that much pressure on us that we feel obliged to share a very personal experience, like the birth of your first child, with a bunch of people you barely know anymore? 

My baby was born on the 9th April, I didn't put a picture of him on Facebook till the 7th May. Why? Because why should I? Everyone that deserved (yes he is that precious) to see my son came to visit him once we were out of the hospital. Or those that couldn't visit, I sent a few photos to them. Why should I feel like I have to share pictures with people I don't really care about? 

Moreover there is not one picture on any form of social media, of me in the hospital, before or after I gave birth. Because I looked horrendous. I really can't fathom why women want pictures, for the whole world to see, of them half naked/looking like they've been dragged through a bush backwards/no make-up/sweaty bed hair to appear on social media. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with these pictures and I am not for one moment trying to imply that you should look your best right after giving birth, infact I'd say there's something wrong with you if you do. But why do you want to share these precious, personal moments with Facebook?

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe that's just what you're supposed to do these days. Maybe I'm different because I have a fairly small group of friends and even smaller family, that these personal moments are easy enough to share directly with the people that matter. But I'd say these precious moments are just that: precious and I dislike that we live in a society that puts pressure on us to share these moments before we are ready. 

Kirsty x

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