All that glitters is not gold.
When you hear the term “alternative reality” or “parallel universe” our minds immediately jump to science fiction. It is a concept that many people speculate but in the end there is no scientific evidence that such a place exists. However there is something very similar that is in fact a reality and it won’t be found looking up to the stars. It is right here on earth, among us on a daily basis and influencing our perception of reality. It is our social media accounts.
Social media has become a place for people of all ages to escape reality and create their own perfect world. It is a world that can then be broadcasted to thousands, even millions, of people across the globe. For too long people have been looking through pictures on Facebook, Instagram and other social media outlets and are assuming that what they are seeing is real. Young adults look up to “social media superstars” who have amassed hundred of thousands of followers and aspire to be just like them.
Sometimes you have to learn a lesson the hard way. Enter Bow Wow, the 30-year-old rapper who tweeted a pic on Tuesday of a private plane flanked by an uber-luxe Mercedes with the caption, “Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta” Press tour… Starts today. I’m on the move. #GUHHATL.”
The only problem? He was spotted on a commercial flight shortly thereafter. “Lmfaooooo who’s mans is this @smoss?!” the user wrote with side-by-side shots of the private-jet pic and Bow Wow hunkered down in a regular ol’ airplane seat. (Wah-wah!)
Making matters worse, a reverse image search led one user to the actual image the reality TV star had … umm … “borrowed.” The shot can clearly be seen on the website for Fort Lauderdale VIP Trans. (Seriously, how happy is the owner of that business right now?)
That was just the beginning of the fallout, though. Soon after, the hashtag #BowWowChallenge began trending. The challenge gives users the outlet to fake a luxurious lifestyle Bow Wow-style. It goes without saying, some real gems appeared. “Gotta to spoil myself every now and then,” one user wrote beside a pic in which she sported a Rolex, Starbucks coffee, and Mercedes — all made from paper.
“On vacation in Hawaii,” another wrote beside a pic of her legs on a pristine beach. Well … kinda.
“About to turn up, y’all!” another wrote beside a shot of some impressive bottles of liquor.
Another described, “Hittin’ the trails this AM.”
Another one tweeted.
#BowWowChallenge
#BowWowChallenge
#BowWowChallenge
#BowWowChallenge
Interestingly, even after all of the (hilariously brilliant) backlash, 24 hours later, Bow Wow hadn’t taken down his original private-jet post. Instead, he had blasted off a series of tweets related to promoting the next season of Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta, which were probably pre-scheduled … but still.
In a nutshell, the truth is that pictures on social media are just small snapshots of our lives. Imagine life as an enormous iceberg and the small portion above the water is equivalent to what we see on social media. The problem arises when young people begin to look at these photos and tell themselves that this is what they need to aspire to in order to be beautiful and happy. They set an unreachable standard for themselves. When they are not able to achieve this they are left disappointed, discouraged and with their self-image tarnished. Be Yourself…And..Be Grateful…
