When I was little it was considered rather unseemly to “show off”.
I remember accompanying my mum on our frequent visits to various friends’ houses for a cup of tea and a sandwich. On those many occasions I was told to sit in a corner, to “be quiet” and “here’s a magazine for you to keep yourself occupied”.
Woman’s Own was plonked on to my lap, and if I was really lucky, I got to see Woman’s Weekly too, depending on how long my mum and her friends chattered on.
With my nose in a magazine, I could disguise the fact that I was listening in to their fascinating adult conversations, which often featured grown-up titbits that I didn’t quite understand.
If I even dared to open my mouth out of turn, my mum would again say “be quiet and don’t show off”. Showing off was definitely NOT appreciated and children who did it were thought of as vain and brash.
These days, though, showing off is a part of daily life, with most people doing so each and every day, thanks to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
All of them hoping their posts will draw appreciation and virtual “likes” rather than the scolding I used
to attract if I dared to voice my opinion during an adult gathering.
“Only speak when you are spoken to” used to be the standard warning for most children. What, then, would parents operating in those relatively innocent times think of the daily outpouring of opinions, “likes”, hatred, bullying and threats that our children, whether they be eight or 18, are subjected to via social media?
When a dark, scary, threatening message of hatred follows them into school and back home again, there’s no hiding. No escape. Unless they turn their phones off, which can make parents even more worried as to where their child has got to on their way home from school.
So, hurrah, then, for Instagram, which has announced it’s giving users the option to hide how many people have “liked” their posts following concerns it was affecting mental health.
I have to say, I’ve deliberately steered clear of most social media apart from Twitter, after being blitzed by vile hatred during some of my time on breakfast TV. There were always plenty of lovely comments too, but it’s the voices of hate that stick in your mind and permeate your self-worth, causing sleepless nights and fear of what the next day may bring.
The Instagram move is a start, especially as the social media giant’s boss Adam Mosseri wants users to focus more on “connecting with friends or being inspired”, rather than counting “likes”. Now that’s something we SHOULD share!
