It blows my mind. The very concept is anathema to me. Why do people take photos of themselves, their kids, their genitals (covered or not) on the internet so it can live forever and anyone to see? Your inner most thoughts, your job, your relationship and marriage.
…just why?
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People like attention. Pretty simple.
They want the validation of being noticed. In part how they are perceived by others gives them a sense of purpose and recognition.
No idea !! It’s senseless.
Why not?
Just think of the reasons you wouldn’t and realize that some people don’t mind then
For some it’s attention, for others it’s connection. Some people crave validation, some want to feel seen, some just overshare without thinking. The internet’s like a giant diary with comments enabled.
I don’t even have social media besides Reddit and YouTube (I don’t post videos just listen to music)
I don’t understand it BUT others do and love to. I’m happy they are happy. As long as what they are doing is legal and they are adults, I don’t care what they do since it doesn’t affect me.
Validation, attention and wanting to be loved. Often it can be an escape from reality when your life is shit and you have a few strangers telling you that you look good etc.
People kept diaries. They’d also assemble in taverns and share their lives.
Humans need validation.
Social media was originally created to communicate and connect with others easily whether it be an old best friend from Pre-K or a long lost relative. Essentially, I see it as a way to showcase your life without having to call, text, or update everyone all the time.
But, people can do it to show others who they are, find people with common interests, document their lives online, gain status and money, fulfill their dopamine by societal approval..etc
Because for some reason people posting this think other people, even relatives, really care about all the inane details of their life, when they really don’t.
Fun
Main character syndrome and self validation. Also some people think they are a lot more interesting than they actually are.
Social Media is just a tool. It all depends on how you use it.
If all someone does is post 100’s of duck-face pictures and not much else,. then yeah.. I’d say that’s fairly useless.
If someone uses Social Media to post useful information (new restaurants, road closures, interesting events, etc).. it can be very useful.
I used to be a lot more active on social media,. for me I always tried to make sure my content was useful or informative or at least mildly entertaining. Sometimes it was about me or pictures of my cat,. but largely I always tried to make it something useful.
The only social media I have really is Reddit and Facebook. I also keep a journal/diary whatever you want to call it. The internet is not my diary, however, I post pictures of the food I make and things I crochet, pictures of my cats and pictures of special events. I post them privately to my friends list, which is only people I really know. Many of them like to see what I’m up to but we can’t connect like that individually as often as we would like to, so social media allows us to connect a little and keep up with each other’s lives. People who post their innermost thoughts, genitals, kids publicly instead of privately, people who post personal things for the whole world to see… idk man
Posting your kids online is a big no no for me.
I believe that it is really wrong to use your child’s face to boost your ego and try to get attention/likes/views/money. It’s purely egocentric and it can only be a nuisance for your child’s future. His personal identity can be stolen, old photos can be used later as a mean to intimidation or manipulation. I just dont understand parents that keep posting about their child every day.
For a reason not too dissimilar to you putting the word “anathema” in your post.
Cause they’re hoping just for a moment , in the back of their mind, that someone might think they have their crap together.
I do it because I suffered in silence in my father’s basement until I watched family members die without ever seeing me again… and because an entire community of people made a whole lifestyle decision for me based on pictures I was tagged in by people who basically staged the photos.
I do it because I have a family who really likes to hide all their shadows and magnify their light and I’ve met literally hundreds of people who struggle with mental health issues and abandonment trauma because of similar family systems.
What kind of narcissist are you to think everyone gives a fuck about anything you post?
No one cares about the things I post, so why not post it?
Some need that attention. The internet can provide any and all attention you need
i dunno. i remember when it was odd to meet a significant other, or whatever, online. now we just get bored and horny and bang random people we see on our phone for no reason.
Just a bunch of attention whores.
Photos I would never post. I try to remain as anonymous as is feasible. And while I do reveal thoughts, opinions, private moments in my life, and so forth. I take care to do little things in the things I post to … throw people off who might be trying to put the pieces together and determine who I am. Little subtle shifts of time, place, and names.
Not to disguise myself from someone who would actually know me in real life. Friends who were there, as concerns some of my stories, would recognize the story. And understand that a time, or a name or something had been changed. But they’d know the story and know it is me, or one of the others who were there.
And if they ever asked I’d tell them. Just like my daughter knows my screen name and account for all my social media. I just don’t want strangers trying to contact me.
Why do I share? People ask questions. Ask if something is true. Or ask if anyone else had done, seen, or experienced something they have. If I have anything I think relevant, I share it. Why not? Take it or leave it. Accept it or deny it. Believe it or not. Choose to not read it if you do not wish to. Its all fine with me.
I cant stand when people post their kids online. they cant consent to that. it doesn’t matter how clean your friends list is. if your mom ends up sharing a photo of your kids you have no idea who is on her friends list.
it depends how you post…
family channel- attention
facebook with only friends/family- updating loved ones
there’s lots of inbetween, of course, but generally you can tell when it’s a genuine family post not meant for validation or a disingenuine one designed for validation, like i know there was a trend (for lack of a better word) where people were painting their grandads as very lonely and then posting how happy they were to be spending time with one of their grandkids… thats was totally attention, like why would you post your grandpa in a bad moment just to swoop in like superman and post it? but at the same time, i know certain family channels like mmmjoemele, or pete mentzingo, that in my opinion are just a really cool families
why not?
…just why?
Not all social media is the same, and not all people have the same reasons.
Facebook – I’m happy to share photos of their travels, or group photo with friends at a dinner party so my extended network of friends and family can see what I am up to. Much better than emailing photos like the old days.
LinkedIn – I’m happy for random people to browse my work history and I landed a great job by being visible there.
As for women bouncing their boobs on Instagram or baring all on Reddit and OF, well, as others have said, often they are attention whores who do it for the likes and in some cases for the money.
Each to their own. Live and let live.
It’s a community thing. All humans have this instinct.
I don’t post on FB because I think some stranger will like my baby’s picture, I post it for my mother and MIL, who don’t know how to navigate Gmail.
I post in my fandom subs, because I think there might be people who might enjoy my silly ideas and sub par fan art.
I post what I like and what I think or create. It’s usually not about YOU
a need for social validation and attention.
I like to see what people I know/knew are up to as time passes. I assume there are some people who want to do the same for me 🙂
One phrase …”Validation without context”
Money? I don’t think you realize how much money people are making online.