I wish we talked about the positives of social media more

I (19F) would have definitely offed myself a few years ago if it wasn't for social media. I grew up in a very racist/sexist/homophobic and very isolating city. I have interests that I know no one else would have.

Because of the internet I've actually been able to find like minded people like myself and have had great one off discussions as well as long term friendships because of social media and the internet as a whole.

Being a black gender queer 13-19 year old in a faux progressive white only small factory city and having separate interest and hobbies ranging from topics like martial arts, cooking,fashion, politics, sex related topics, kpop and music in general I dont think I stood/stand a chance on making legitimate friends in person. My only option was/is the internet.

Social media isnt dangerous because of the social pressure or whatever to use it and be on it, teenagers are going to feel pressured and self conscious as long as people tell them that they cant be themselves. Teenagers (just like adults) look for validation outside of themselves. They did it back in Shakespeares time and they will do it after we have all passed on. That's a maturity issue, not a social media issues.

And in regards to the whole 'people faking online' people have always been faking their lives, that's what the whole 'keeping up with the jones' saying comes from. Human beings never want to look bad in front of other people because it makes us vulnerable,and as long as humans hate being vulnerable the more we are going to fake what our lives are like. It's not like before social media we were running through the streets naked in mayhem screaming "I HAD A MESSED UP CHILDHOOD" or insert any other major trauma in peoples lives. We will always lie to save face, people need to grow up and get over that.

With that being said, because the internet let's people be whoever they want, I was able to healthily explore myself on the internet instead of doing stupid things in real life. Instead of sabotaging friendships, I would watch peoples youtube videos on how to not be a shitty friend instead of learning the hard way. Instead of having awkward sexual (and usually dangerous when you're a teen) experience, I let myself explore what I like on the internet (now I have the most realistic and healthiest approach to sex than out of all my friends because I took the time to learn and fill in the gaps that school wasn't filling in) by reading about what to do and what not to do, reading and engaging in the consent debate etc.

Just because people arent media and internet literate doesnt make the platforms bad or harmful, as always it's not the tool but the human using it.

TL:DR: A hammer is a tool when used for nails, but a weapon when used against the human head.

Submitted January 23, 2019 at 12:59PM by Lorelei1999 http://bit.ly/2B1fa1l