We have done an incredible job of cultivating the attention of society.
From selling fear to encouraging the click and like funnel through exposing human addiction tendencies with social media, I'd even say that our modern world has perfected the art of rewarding media that attracts attention.
With that being said, I would like to expose the fact that this facade has actually taken away from the truth of the human experience.
We have changed our behavior and our God given creative ability to carefully craft and tailor messages on social media that will draw attention and generate attention for more clicks and likes as if this type of social credibility means anything at all.
I have noticed that as a whole we are increasingly sharing stories about how great and extravagant our lives are.
It is almost as if every single day is this dopamine charged, record breaking, monumental experience and in generating this type of attention, I believe that we are losing the reality of what it means to be human and what the human experience actually is.
So many people are driving themselves into a social, emotional and physical debt spiral to keep up with the expectations they have created around their social identity.
Too many families are falling apart from the distraction of making sure that every single event is just perfect so social media approval will be favorable.
Too many young people are lost in the amount of work it actually takes to generate a life worth living.
Too many believe that the identity as an influencer is the pinnacle of the human experience.
Here, in my opinion, is the opportunity to expose the underlying truth.
If you take a minute and step away from this paradigm, I believe that you will see a very different story
That story hinges on the truth that every single person you see is struggling with something they never talk about.
There is something to be said about the dull, boring, and often underwhelming experience of just being.
These burdens come in many different shapes and sizes and are often hidden from the social norm of the like and click.
They are hidden in the anxiety of the provider making sure that their family is taken care of.
They are hidden in the mom who is concerned with her kids and how they are growing up.
They are hidden in the husband and wife who are trying to communicate and grow in their relationship without letting it burn to the ashes.
They are fostered in the uncertainty of the business owner who is not sure they are going to make it this week.
The examples are endless but the burden is the same.
For the most part, they are hidden and they are silent.
They are not exposed because when you shine the light on them, they are anything but “like worthy” on social media.
But here is the kicker, these burdens are the ones that actually generate the end product that you see on social media.
It is not just the like button society that is generated but the stories that leak about people who probably don’t have any form of social media in the first place.
They are just a normal person, living their life, doing what is good, true and holy.
As a result, their life is an extension of what truth looks like.
And the truth is, the burdens are always going to be there and every single person you encounter will be carrying one.
The problems start when we believe the lie that has been carefully curated and crafted through social media to make you believe that life
So next time you encounter someone that may seem short, distracted, or overwhelmed, take a moment to recognize that maybe their burden got the best of them today.
Maybe their day isn’t the perfectly crafted social media post you just clicked the heart on.
Maybe, just maybe, their silent burden needs a smile from you to help them know that their day is not over and hope still exists.
