15 Ways You're Fooled Into Thinking Social Media Keeps You Relevant

Social media has caught us in its sneaky web. It makes us feel important, noticed and connected.

Think about an hour at work when you couldn’t look at your news feed or timeline; it seemed like everyone in the world decided to do everything at once, and you missed it.

The fact that, in minutes, hundreds and hundreds of things can be posted, gives us the need to be attached to our phones, computers, tablets and apps constantly.

Here are some thoughts we all have about social media that keep our fingers tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming and all of the above:

1. Social media is our generation's “news.”

We’re taught to believe the only and best way for us to get news is to be connected on Twitter or Facebook. But how many of us really follow CNN? Newspapers and televisions are still a thing, in case we forgot!

2. Social media is the only source that keeps up with our fast-paced society.

Things happen, and they happen fast. So, we think we need a quick swipe on our Instagram to find out the latest and greatest.

3. If you went on a cool vacation and didn’t Instagram it, did it really happen?

People need to know the coolest things we’ve done; it’s only fair.

4. You never know who’s looking.

And while this may not be the best thing for a job interview, it certainly has its perks when we’re trying to get our 15 minutes of fame.

5. Fifteen minutes of fame entices you.

A solid 10 favorites on a tweet will put you in a good mood all day. You always knew you were unbelievably witty, and now so does everyone else.

6. Everyone else has it, so why shouldn’t you?

More people are more focused on their news feeds these days than they are on the road. If everyone else is on it, how can you not miss out?

7. You have FOMO (fear of missing out).

It's an actual thing, and we’re pretty sure there’s science to prove it. Without social media, how can we be everywhere at once?

8. It’s the way we communicate.

You can’t just call up your old friend from middle school. Wouldn’t that would be so weird? Try Facebooking him or her instead!

9. We need instant gratification.

It's something we Gen-Yers have found to lighten our moods, and it's now plastered all over the Twitter-sphere for people to favorite.

10. How will anyone know if we got a new job or promotion?

That’s right; they won’t unless we tweet it!

11. We're the Stalker Generation.

People are constantly telling us what they saw on Instagram or Facebook, so if they saw all of that, they'll definitely see what we’re posting.

12. Likes, favorites, retweets and comments are the new compliments.

Everyone likes a good compliment.

13. We're here for you.

Trending hashtags and tweeting about the same things give us a community. We feel a sense of acceptance.

14. It gives us something to do.

Bored at work or waiting in a line, we whip out our phones. In seconds, we are chatting with people and being noticed, and the boredom is gone.

15. It is everywhere.

And when we say everywhere, we mean every country, continent, town, village, city, you name it. This world is huge, and to make ourselves feel like we are actually a part of it, we turn to social media and instantly feel like the world can see us.

We have been tricked into believing this is what keeps us connected to the world, and keeps us relevant in the eyes of many people. We need that feeling of relevance; we need to know people know what we are doing.

Maybe, we sometimes even want people to envy what we’re doing because that instant gratification is how we feel good about ourselves. It’s social media’s world, and we’re just living in it.