Anyone close enough to me knows how much I detest social media. I have lost count of the number of times I have deleted WhatsApp, deactivated my Facebook account, Instagram account, and some other accounts I don’t even care to mention. 

Social media they say is meant to aid communication, bring people together and even aid relationships by bridging the distance that exists between people. I say, what a laugh. 

Thanks to Social Media, there has been a rise in depression – among men, women, boys, and girls. Thanks to Social Media more people are under more pressure to meet up and even keep up with the Jones. Thanks to Social Media, the fake like has become the order of the day, and the ability to drive superficial conversations based on imaginary perfect lives has left thousands and even millions of people devoid of anything close to a unique identity. 

Wives are keeping up with the Kardasians, Husbands are stuck up on Playboy and everything that comes with it, young girls and ladies seek sugar daddies to finance their fake lives, and children are being fed sacrilege in the name of entertainment. I could go on and on but let me just stop here. 

I will be lying if I say I do not use Social Media. That will be a very big lie. I would also be lying if I say Social Media is all gloom and doom. I sometimes get inspiration from posts on various Social Media channels I find myself on, and I have also connected with a number of people whom I have come to call my ‘people’. Yet, I am always mindful and try to apply as much caution as possible so I do not get a rude and unexpected shock. 

I feel the owners of these Social Media channels have a lot of work to do to ensure social media isn’t toxic, doesn’t ruin lives, lead to deaths and murder cases. I think a whole lot more needs to be done to ensure that these channels are safe and can be a safe place for all and sundry. Yet, this responsibility cannot be that of the owners alone. You and I do have a role to play too. 

Ensure you are grounded. When you are grounded, you are not easily moved by just about everything that comes you way. You know who you are, and this determines what you will or will not do. 

Set controls. This applies to children as much as it does to adults. You can set controls to restrict the kind of content that comes your way. This ensures you are only enjoying the good stuff and keeping the bad stuff out. 

Know who to follow. The fact that a post has a million likes or a person has twenty million followers does not mean they are right for you. If it’s a person ask yourself, do you share the same values? If it’s a post, ask yourself what value is this going to add or take from you?

Feel free to walk away. You see, with social media there is this compulsion you feel to stay when you shouldn’t. Be true to yourself. If this group isn’t working for you, leave. You owe no one any explanation if it is in your best interest. If Instagram isn’t graming you, ungram it. Same with Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and any other social media channel for that matter. 

Your life, sanity, wellbeing, destiny, and purpose matter more than anything else. Do not mistake a lie for the truth. 

Cheers.