Facebook or Fakebook?

When was the last time anyone posted a photo of themselves taking a poop? Probably never. There have been 2.5 trillion posts on Facebook, and I doubt anyone has ever shared such a candid moment. Maybe a few weirdos, but the point is you could be living the most miserable life, and yet, the one time you are someplace exciting or on vacation, that’s the post you put on Facebook. You and your partner could fight 24/7, 365 days a year, but the one time you have your arms around each other smiling—even if it’s only for two seconds—that’s the photo that ends up on Facebook.

There are countless books on the Facebook effect, detailing how this social media platform distorts reality and amplifies feelings of inadequacy and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). If you want to be miserable, spend more time on Facebook. You could have a 100-foot yacht parked in Palm Beach with 50 of your closest friends and family, but the moment you open Facebook, you’ll see a childhood friend in Ibiza or Monte Carlo with a 250-foot yacht surrounded by celebrities, friends, movie stars, and models. The comparing of status never ends. It’s just a natural human tendency.

Why do we compare ourselves? That’s a topic worth exploring. But for now, I have a proposal: don’t steal it! I propose “Worstbook” to compete with Facebook. On Worstbook, you are only allowed to post your worst moments so others will know you also go to the bathroom, have had diarrhea, and have been sick and miserable here and there. You aren’t allowed to post happy times. It’s simply an honest collection of your worst, most embarrassing, and funniest moments. And don’t try to sneak in a photo of a movie star spilling a drink on you while you were on a yacht—you’ll be canceled from Worstbook.

Stop looking at everyone else’s best day of their life and start enjoying the depth of your own life. Get off your device. Stop looking at posts, stop scrolling through Twitter and TikTok. It’s all not real, and it’s not here right now.

Enjoy the moment you are in, with all its imperfections and challenges. After all, those are the moments that make life real and meaningful.

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