By: Mateo Morales and Kayla Padron
It’s more than just a screen, it’s more valuable, it affects more people, it’s our lives.
Our generation lives a life that cares more about what other people think than what they think about themselves. It’s gotten to the point that people will have suicidal thoughts over what people say behind “just a screen”. It’s come to a point where traditional social skills aren’t part of our generations life because of “just a screen.” Cyberbullying is catastrophic, not only to people’s self-esteem but to people’s lives. Social platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook make people put on a “front” of a life they don’t actually live. To create this “front”, most teens have a dual online personality. Freshmen Anthony Gonzalez said, “I believe that the point of having a public Instagram account is to post nice pictures that you want everyone to see, and I believe the point of this is to get clout.” He also spoke about how the point of having a “priv” which is a personal Instagram with “exclusive” followers, is to post things that you’re thinking about or about how you feel on certain topics. A “priv” is more posts about you as a person and your personality. Your “main” is how you like others (that aren’t your exclusive set of friends) to see you… PERFECT.
No matter how hard we as humans try to be perfect everyone knows this is an impossible feat. The issue is how cruelty comes into play while indirectly communicating. Communication on “just a screen” has opened doors not only in positive ways like making it easier to find a loved one, new job opportunities, and meeting your “soulmate”. But the negativity that comes through “just a screen” is immense and deteriorates lives and self-esteem like a ticking time bomb. I would say it’s a generational thing, but it’s not even our generation. Today, everyone is texting and commenting hurtful things just to bring someone down, communicating in a way they wouldn’t if they were face to face.
Although social media does open a lot of doors, it has also brought out our worst behaviors. Many people have lost scholarships, job opportunities, and have tarnished school reputations because of inappropriate content on social media. People are posting political rants, alcohol and marijuana usage, fights, and bullying each other. When did our advances in technology become a means for social mayhem?
The reality is whether it’s on your priv or on your main, it’s out there. And once it’s out there, there is no controlling who sees it, whose eyes it captures, and who is commenting back. That cliché think before you speak still applies. But now it’s think before you post.
The Watchdog 