Mehar Zohaib Ahmad
Social platforms are a new lifestyle! Is it, however, true? I’ve theorised with several acquaintances, friends, and family members, as well as any random stranger on their phone playing with snap chat filters who will listen to my rants. Nonetheless, I’ve found myself waging a lost battle against the judgement that is now ingrained in our life as a need. No matter how much I protested against avoiding or boycotting it, I found myself driven to it, not just by peer pressure but also by a self-inflicted desire to understand what this beast is. Is it a cult to which we have all secretly agreed to stay devoted as long as we are linked to digital gadgets of our choosing? Or do we believe that disconnecting from social media is equivalent to committing social suicide? Perhaps it is associated with a crime that will not go unpunished by society as a whole since we are doing a disservice to people who live a dull existence but can see the fun and glamorous lifestyles of others. Social media transports us far away from the mundane, the 9-5 grind, and the home tasks that surround us in our daily lives. Or does it generate an unfulfilled need, an emptiness that can never be filled? To play devil’s advocate, in this post I outlined the benefits of social networking, and next week I will discuss the disadvantages from my perspective. As a Pakistani, I’ve frequently noticed and contrasted how “desis” depict themselves in comparison to English people. Before we begin, I’d like to clarify the definition/usage of the term “desi.” for the sake of this post. The term “desi” refers to a person of Pakistani, Indian, or Bangladeshi origin who resides outside of these nations, according to the Oxford Dictionary. The phrase is derived from the Sanskrit word “Deshah,” which means “country” or “homeland.” However, the word has been broadened to cover anybody with ancestors from the Indian subcontinent, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Fiji, and even the Maldives. The list of races and nations is no longer relevant today, and the term “desi” has become a widely inclusive phrase used in colloquial everyday vernacular not only by Asians but also by those socially linked with us. It would also be useful to define social media broadly to contextualise my remark in this post. The phrase “social media” was coined in 1997, when the first site, “Six Degrees,” allowed users to establish profiles, post images, and communicate with other users on the same platform. ListServ and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) existed before then, but it was in 2002 when Friendster, a Malaysian-built platform (now defunct), initiated the trend. After Friendster, social media exploded into LinkedIn (2003), Facebook (2004), YouTube (2005), Twitter (2006), TikTok (2017), and on and on. It is difficult to maintain track of social networking platforms these days. Human engagement is dangerously low as people seek refuge behind their screens to connect with strangers all over the world rather than making an effort to chat with someone sitting across from them. Keeping this in mind, I’ll draw the links between desis and their interactions on and off social media. There was a scarcity of desi social media users, influencers, bloggers, and YouTubers in the early days of social media. As the issue grew and made its way into our homes, the presence of desi’s became increasingly noticeable. In desi households, there was fresh independence, an art form of self-expression, and connectedness that came with social media. This movement began with the simple wish of family and friends residing in their home countries to stay connected to their loved ones so they could view images and participate in activities they could not physically attend owing to geographical distances. It was regarded as egotistical or wicked, unnecessary or excessive, useless or stupid, depending on a socioeconomic level, but still vital and pervasive. To be honest, everyone I know is on social media in some capacity. Whether they are in a WhatsApp group or merely watching TikTok videos, they are connected in some manner, no matter how much they try to deny it. It’s fascinating to see how desi homes utilise social media. Homemakers and housewives use it to save recipes and articles on home decor on Pinterest. Teenage females frequently watch YouTube lessons from make-up professionals showcasing make-up procedures for “brown skin.” It is used by the elderly to view news, dramas, cricket matches, and religious movies. Not to mention the powerful population that is not limited to any age group and works around the clock to glamorise their life in some way, shape, or form to obtain a million likes on their Instagram pictures or Snapchat tales. I’ve witnessed friends try to unplug, disconnect, and unhook themselves from social media, only to return to this hole once some time has passed. I have attempted to isolate myself from this so-called “illness” without much success. I still struggle with the concept of sharing my personal life on social media. As a social media user, I am wary, but merciless in my efforts to keep everyone informed of the risks associated with it. My real advice to everyone out there is to use social media to your benefit in whichever way you see fit, but be mindful of the negative aspects that exist.
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