Culture of easy-swallowing society -IV

- continues from part three - 
[ observation on social platforms and profiles ]

    Creating social profiles and multiple social platforms has amazing psychological doubles effect – from one side satisfies the need of the individual from social connections; from another boosts his confidence (self-image, appearance), and in the same time keep him behind the veil of “incognito” observer. His is hidden and exposed in the same time. He can view” others (images, activities), without to be seen himself, he can have easy communication with others, without the pressure of deeper mind or analysis. This is the main pattern of visual amplification. What becomes more significant than “who”, “how” and why, which creates gap in individual character. But as all these described above satisfactions are fake and not real, so the individual will come back in his spiritual development. He will become motor of easy motion of surface changing pieces of puzzle – in fake reality.

IV. Self replaced by Social self

     As I spoke about so many damages on the consciousness and sub consciousness of human in easy-swallowing culture, I have to mention here the social relations. Due to lack of time and the speed factor, most people create also multiple relations, depending on their spheres of interest. This is a very good, positive point in such a speed time society. But is it truth? The connections we create using the social media platforms are also fake. Moreover even the existing friendships, relations and relationships are threaten to submerge in one chaotic stream, and disappear. Social medias have the first aim (on the surface) to bring people together. In fact, what happens is opposite –they brake connections of humans and create well manipulated fake communications. Why is that so? When I create a post and share it with my friends, I already don’t know who will be able to view or react on this post. This reactions of my post have strong affect, even in sub conscious level – on mind of individual. He start to notice by repeating one and the same rule, who of his friends” or people with whom he shares – react on some of his posts, and what is the reaction. Any kind of reaction is more preferred than lack of reaction. That means “I`m left alone, unnoticed” and why do I have these “friends”? The actual question that I need to ask myself is – are the so created social connections on my social platform really “friends”? Because of lack of time, I cant be able to ask further questions to what extend I can rely on such friends and what is meaning of “friendship”? These are very old thoughts, left in history before mobile technologies. Now I just see, observe, have visual impression from reactions of others and make conclusions. If I feel respectful for myself, of course I have to notice – how many people and how often see and react on my posts. Because these people are my “close friends” (labeled) or any other group and I found them valuable enough to share my post (image, idea, feeling, place). So I`ll instinctively remove from this category anyone, who never reacts on any post of me. That means this person doesn’t exist for me, and I for him. This is obvious. In the same time, even if he sees my sharing, but doesn’t show reaction (which means he is hiding), that makes his image not appreciated in my eyes, surely as I`m not in position to know what are his thoughts” about my image. My image and post now is almost equal identified with my own Self. (as its posted by Self). That’s how this hidden observer is not good for me, but …in the same time I allow him to see my image, or allow him access. Another decision is to restrict him from my posts, or remove him from my “friends” list. But why I would react in the first way, even knowing that this person is not a friend? The answer hides in understanding about “friend” category in social media stream.

      In reality, there is no “friends” - they are transformed in virtual connections – collections. I have collection of names and profiles, linked with my profile and that’s all. No real sharing or friendship at all can rely or develop just from virtual platforms, without anything else. Here arises the question – why I have these collections? What is meaning (profit) of them? As in the time-space speed of Internet, there is not much inner value, so the profit is better word. The older generations, that are not familiar or too distant from mobile devices, social media and internet connections, are prone to speak or meet. In such way, meeting and gatherings were platforms of exchange of information –for others, gossips and sharing ideas, feelings. In this era the accent was not on visual but on virtual hearing, listening, voice, speech. This was era of long speeches, words, texts, books, things said indirectly, in symbolic way. Ear of hearing –speech-sharing. Opposite of that, now is era of visual games exchange - sharing images, places and moods in simple and shortest way is the best communication. Why do I need words, if I see photo of my friend for ex. standing on the beach with cocktail in hand and smiling? All is clear –he achieved happiness, he is well. Why do I need words if I see my friend with his baby on lap at home, smiling from ear to ear? Is it not clear, he is very happy. That’s how we create and sink in the culture of “fake happiness”, by exposing fake images of this happiness. but is that true? How much do we know about actors from a movie behind the scene and in daily life? Think well. Exactly the same effect happens with the people in social media sites. They are actors, they love to expose and show off themselves (or equally to hide themselves from scene sometimes) in best possible way. No one will put a photo for himself in period of deep depression, sorrow and sadness (specially if he does not gain any attention from others in such way). Visual attention and exposure of private images sometimes, become the biggest trap, failure of the system and fake elements from the culture. We are all involved in theatre of moving, changing pictures, kaleidoscope of faces, bodies, ideas, feelings…without any significant meaning. That’s how in this trap fall even spiritually advanced people – assuming they use the social media to create spiritual insights and shares. Even so, I want to state here clearly

     * Without a strict and permanent control on your own time spend inside the social platform (regardless Facebook, Twitter or other), you will slowly lose your spiritual development and feel lack of time, and lack of real life-achievements. Control means to know when and how long you use the social site, to have restricted audience, well chosen social “collection” of names, to not put any feelings in any of the connections, regardless of their emotions, and know the value of personal time. In this way, your time will be devoted to essential things, I think that in most cases an hour is quite enough.

   To conclude – people possessing fake faces, acquire a fake multiple sided virtual life, that replaces their real values and experiences, to the limited space-time of the social platform. They start to disappear as individuals from the material surroundings, and appear in the same time in a their safe virtual social rooms. This appearance can be a well made game, fake identity, taking traits the person does not possess, but desire. That’s how this looks like virtual theater of mind, where many pieces of individual puzzles are spread around many platforms. They form a chaotic space, with many references, and sadly without depth and meaning. In this process people merge with their created Masks, faces. 

[ nina Lea-nura * ]

J -1-