[corderop]

> Secondly, on the topic of social media making people feel insecure about something (like their bodies). Isn’t that everywhere? At the beach? In magazines? On TV? At parties? In school?

The thought that I have overcome about this is that SM is different from the examples that you gave. In magazines or TV, you assume that is going to be filled with "non-real" people (esthetic surgeries...), but at the end of the day, you will be surrounded by people like you.

At parties, school, or at the beach, yes you can find some perfect people, but the vast majority are going to be just normal people like you.

SM is different for that, you are comparing every nuance of you with an adulterated version of normal people (just people like you, not famous people). Personally, SM makes me feel that everybody except me has an ideal life and I know that's not true.

I don't like the "social" aspect of social media, I like the "media" part though. I like to follow photographers, use to follow some type of hobby, but not to see people's life.

Edit: typo

[elvis10ten]

That makes sense. Do you see the general public making a similar shift that most people on SM besides some of my friends are “not real” people?

I slightly disagree with the parties, school part. Most people with “great bodies” are most likely the ones with revealing clothes at these places. There are lots of “not real” people there (they are not at a celebrity level but they make sure they are visible). Maybe your experience differs?

> I like the "media" part though. I like to follow photographers, use to follow some type of hobby, but not to see people's life. > SM makes me feel that everybody except me has an ideal life and I know that's not true.

I’m split between both. I follow some people for the media part; And others for their wholesome content which usually includes part of their lives.

The sad part is that these wholesome people sometimes turn into “not real” people.

When I started a fitness account, I quickly realized the engagement from people were taking me into being a fake person. Thankfully, I closed that a while ago. But my takeaway from this experience, is that the problem is with people and not SM? (But what do I know :) )