Embracing Imperfections on Social Media

Why is it so hard to show our natural, imperfect selves on social media?

It all boils down to ego. We don’t show our flaws to everyone because we are fearful of the repercussions that follow. The judgment, the behind-the-back talks, the anxiety cascade triggered by finding fault within others can be crushing to someone.

It’s cliche to say that everyone is unique with their own personalities and appearance, that we should respect them all and embrace our imperfections gracefully. It’s easier to say that we should accept people as they are provided they don’t cross the line of morality. The question is: do we really meant what we say, or is it just a mere statement with no real value?

The world has evolved until social media has seemingly became an integral part of our lives in the 21st century. Undeniably, there are people who chose not to dive into the digital world because of various reasons; and there are those who aim to become influencers to make a change in this world too.

With the Covid-19 pandemic uprooting the physical basis of everything into

virtual platforms, everything around us seems to dematerialize and confine us within the retreats of our homes, with the biggest window to the world being small screens of smartphones, tablets and laptops, and WiFI becoming roads connecting one another.

It’s not the same communicating with our friends and family through social media, compared to chatting away while sipping a cup of tea in a cafe. It’s the 3-dimensional feeling that we miss, rather than seeing each other through flat screens which know no temperature. But that’s the only thing we can do during the lockdowns. It’s far better than not seeing or hearing their voice for who knows how long.

But then again, why do we hide our true selves in the virtual world?

It’s time to let go of perfectionism.

It’s time for us to stop judging, but to appreciate one another instead. Likes and followers may reflect how popular a person is in the virtual world, but we don’t need these numbers to measure our worth.