Why do certain things trend on social media? From #mcm to #tbt tothe latest #20beautifulwomen-challenge, society likes to promote one repeating idea. We’ve all heard the complaints about girls posting #mcm pictures of their boyfriends every week and people abusing the #tbt trend with an overabundance of study abroad pictures. But I think the real reason people do this is just fishing for likes and finding an excuse to publicize their lives.
Really, people will use any excuse possible to get attention on social media. A few months ago, a trend called the #beechallenge started. This involved women taking bare-chested selfies with their bras over their eyes. It was called the bee challenge because the bra was supposed to create a “bug-eyed” look. According to a Reddit thread, the purpose of the challenge was to promote breast cancer awareness. The thing is, I’m pretty sure most of the modern, social-media-using world is already well aware of what breast cancer is. Instead, I think this trend was simply a severe attempt at attention seeking.
Now, it may seem obvious that it is not quite right to support a trend involving photos of bare-chested women. So let’s look at the latest #20beautifulwomenchallenge trend.
This hashtag has been circulating on Instagram and involves women posting pictures of themselves that they feel beautiful in. They then tag 20 of their friends who they think are also beautiful in hopes of continuing the trend.
I just don’t understand how putting a hashtag on the picture makes it any less self-serving than any other selfie. It’s as though our culture has resulted to finding our self-worth in likes on a picture. And we use every excuse possible to post those photos.
At the root of the #20beautifulwomenchallenge trend is a desire for affirmation that people think you are beautiful.
At the root of the #mcm trend is a desire for relationship approval from your followers.
We all know that social media has become a central form of communication for this generation. But everyone who cares probably already knows what you look like and who your boyfriend is.
Use social media to share your experiences and your adventures, not your selfies and your search for affirmation. A double tap on a picture doesn’t really affirm anything when you think about it.
I don’t think all social media trends need to die, but think about your reasoning for posting when you do. Maybe instead of tagging someone in a picture to tell her she is beautiful, just say it to her face.
Kind words mean a lot more when they’re not in a hashtag or photo caption.
