We all know that comparing ourselves to others doesn't really accomplish anything. Yet sometimes, even when we know better, we can't help doing it.
Social media has made it easier than ever to catch glimpses of other people's lives. We see their achievements, their happy moments, their busy schedules, and their expressions of gratitude. Of course, what appears on social media is rarely the whole story. Most people choose what they want others to see, and understandably, they tend to share the good things rather than the bad.
Still, knowing this doesn't necessarily prevent us from feeling something when we read those posts. Sometimes it's admiration. Sometimes it's encouragement. And sometimes it's a faint, uncomfortable feeling that is difficult to put into words.
I write a personal blog almost every day, but I don't spend much time posting on Facebook or Instagram. To me, there is a subtle difference between the people whose blogs I choose to read and the people whose social media posts appear in front of me.
Perhaps the real question isn't whether we should compare ourselves with others, but why we continue to do so, even when we know there's little point.
I often receive email notifications when someone posts something on social media.
There's nothing wrong with people sharing their achievements or good fortune. Depending on the content, I may even enjoy reading about them. But quite a few of these posts don't exactly make me happy, so I rarely go out of my way to open them.
I remember once leaving a comment on someone's post:
"You have so many wonderful things happening in your life. That's nice."
The reply came back:
"Well, I only write about the good things that happen to me here."
I remember thinking, Ah, I see. That makes sense.
Perhaps my comment rubbed that person the wrong way, because I stopped seeing their posts afterward. I don't know whether they stopped posting altogether or simply blocked me.
Anyway, catching glimpses of other people's thoughts and everyday lives sometimes creates little ripples in my mind.
I know I should simply tell myself, My life is mine, and theirs is theirs.
But somehow, it isn't quite that easy.
As for me, writing this blog already takes just about all the time and energy I can spare. I can hardly imagine writing lengthy posts on Instagram or Facebook as well.
When it comes to blogs, I tend to read those written by people who share similar interests or ways of thinking. Like-minded people, you might say. And if I don't enjoy what someone writes, I can simply stop reading.
Social media is a little different. Sometimes we follow people simply because we happen to know them, even if only slightly. Their posts then appear in our feeds whether we particularly want to read them or not.
Still, there are people who know how to write about themselves with remarkable grace.
Some are extremely successful and unbelievably busy, yet somehow manage to describe their hectic lives without sounding the least bit boastful. Others never fail to express their gratitude toward the people around them.
I find myself reading their posts.
Sometimes I think, That's quite impressive.
Or perhaps, So I'm not the only one going through this.
And I feel a sense of understanding, even sympathy.
Comparing my own life with someone else's isn't going to get me anywhere. Still, if something in their experience can help me improve myself, I suppose there's something worth learning from it.
Are human connections becoming weaker these days? Or are we simply so busy that, even when we want to connect with others, we no longer have the time?
In a society like ours, perhaps social media does serve a useful purpose after all.
Perhaps the point is not to stop comparing ourselves with others, but to learn something from those comparisons without losing sight of our own lives.
・・・
compare oneself to others | 他人と自分を比較する。日常的な自己比較を表す自然な表現 |
go out of one's way to | わざわざ〜する。I rarely go out of my way to open them. |
rub someone the wrong way | 人の気に障る、反感を買う。悪意のない言葉が相手を不快にさせる場合にも使う |
catch a glimpse of | 〜をちらりと見る、垣間見る |
little ripples in my mind | 心に生じる小さな波紋。「心のさざなみ」を比喩的に表現 |
like-minded people | 考え方や志向が似ている人々。「同好の士」に近い表現 |
boastful | 自慢げな、鼻にかけた。without sounding boastful で「自慢話に聞こえずに」 |
with remarkable grace | 驚くほど品よく、自然に。自分の成功を嫌味なく語れること |
lose sight of | 〜を見失う、忘れてしまう |
serve a useful purpose | 何らかの役に立つ、存在意義がある |
#SocialMedia #ComparingOurselves #SelfReflection #HumanConnections #EverydayThoughts #PersonalBlog #LifeLessons #Mindfulness #JapaneseBlogger #ColoKen
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