photo credit: pinterest.com
A majority of us determines our self-worth by the performance of our social media. Every picture, every tweet, every upload, every share. They create a sense of belonging to feel like they are a necessity to be someone they would smile walking gracefully in a crowd of people confidently –because of the number of compliments they get on social media.
I’m very sure we’re all enjoying the idea of compliments –be it physically, manners, academic performance, leadership, skills. We all do love it certainly.
Tho, there’s a simple question I can’t seem to answer. How genuine is a compliment when it is in social media?
*posts a figure of yourself online*
You look nice!
You’re beautiful!
You’re flawless girl, I am so speechless.
*heart eyed emojis*
It leaves you looking in the mirror, admiring yourself, yes. I am pretty.
Well, not until the other girls get the same compliment that guy gave you on their Instagram posts.
Ouch. That’s a start.
Does that make their compliments of you worth determining your level of confidence? It’s truly another encouragement for someone to have depression. And it’s completely a norm now.
To be beautiful yet to feel so worthless.
It’s a great thing to think how does compliment really works in the world we are living today. This has nothing to do with anyone else. This is just about you. Yes, you. You and your mind. I may not be accurate in perceiving people’s motive of displaying themselves in public online. It may be just because they would share memories with their loved ones.
It’s a wonder, to be able to differentiate between an intended compliment you indirectly ask for with being complimented, out of the blue.
The real purpose of this post is to turn you back to reality. The world without social media that doesn’t exist the moment you put your electrical devices down.
Again, who doesn’t love any compliments given to them? Anything is wonderful. We may not rely on them as a source of our only happiness being ourselves but then again, it’s not that bad to receive one and accept it with an open heart.
Getting a compliment because you asked for it –posting up selfies on Instagram for example, is an expected one. But what if compliments were spoken out loud straight in front of our faces?
Yes, you can say I’m quite an old-fashioned young lady on this matter, but really. What can be more pleasing that these two things when it comes to compliments?
Getting a compliment from people you love.
Getting a compliment right from their mouths, not behind the keyboard.
Firstly, getting compliments from people you love is flexible. You know wherever they are, how they express the compliment will always be true because you know each other well. You can scream at your best friend’s face saying they seem weird smirking but they’ll flinch up a smile –they know you meant it by good-looking.
P/S: This post is majorly focused on those who are either strangers or those you aren't close to.
Getting a compliment by a stranger in real life (not social media) is something you can never appreciate until you actually get one yourself.
While expecting a compliment is the least dwindling your mind, someone says ‘getar rusuk tengok awak’ (my ribs are vibrating seeing you –in case you’re not Malaysian, it’s a description of how they are fascinated by someone to be wed in non-serious way) It’s normal to be said in social media right? But imagine being said right on your face.
Like woah.
It’s not about compliments from different genders, nearly similar-aged with you. Real life compliments also make you appreciate them even if from the elders or toddlers. Going for family gatherings or perhaps meeting your grandmother’s friends smiling happily until they randomly hold your hand ‘you’re pretty girl’, ‘anak siapa ni?’ ‘pandainya awak’ etc. Going to the grocery store to only then be complimented by an old man. You can’t help but smile. Because you didn’t ask for compliments, and it’s a beautiful thing how it just makes your day seem brighter.
Unlike our social media, indirectly in any post has its share thoughts of getting either a sign of interest by other people. You may say it’s not, but you signed up a social application that meant to be in need of any compliments or likes per post. A sense of seeking to belong to feel worth. Maybe not in real life, but in that social media itself.
Getting compliments said directly to your face has many understandings from people. It may be due to their genuine thought. It may also be because of their extroverted character to express something without them meaning it and also because they can't help having the will to bravely say it out loud.
Sometimes everyone needs a compliment, but it depends on how you receive it too. It feels exactly like you climbing up the hill almost sweating, no time for snapping pictures or even think of posting them up online. You appreciate every single moment, every second of it. The serenity that concludes to a perceptual feeling of ease. For once you’re out in the real world. You start to appreciate real objects or humans around you enough to compliment them face to face.
I honestly think we all should appreciate the real life more than anything else even to the simplest idea of giving someone a compliment.
It just feels real instead of the ones said under the comment sections.
For once, finally.
