However, fleshing this out is much more complicated than the use of stories or the posting of fit pics. I do not believe every post is merely for attention, but it is true that if we did not want it to be seen we would not have posted it. This innate desire to be seen has seemed to developed and grown into what I think is now a desire to influence. What once became the simple act of showing what we are eating breakfast now has become instructing those who are lucky enough to follow us how to make the perfect breakfast. Yes of course, the rise of influencers and content creators have something to do with this but where does their rise come from? Naturally, I believe there is something about committing an act intentionally to be seen by others that rubs all of us the wrong way. Jesus tells us in Matthew Chapter 6, “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” The obvious reason why is because the intention for one act is to be seen while the other is for the good of the act itself. I have said it before and I will say it again, those who are shallow put more emphasis on the external while the virtuous place superiority on the internal. We are a generation who do not uphold any values outside of doing whatever it is that makes you happy without offending others in an extremely specific way. James warns us in Chapter 3 that many of us shall not become teachers, which I have always thought to be interesting. You are responsible for yourself and other family and friends in varying degrees already, why are we so willing to try to adopt the responsibility of so many others? I am not one that believes the problems of today are new but rather shown in new ways. The world has always been driven by that which is most fleeing and easiest to indulge in. The influence to influence is strong in all of us that use social media. We all want our lives to mean and stand for something, I just think we often confuse this for being looked at.
June 27, 2024