ERIC KIM

Why getting off social media has improved my self-esteem

I’m no longer high off the social-media opium dream; I’m empowering myself and building my own self-esteem.

I’m far happier after deleting my Instagram nearly a year+ ago. Why?

  1. No more chasing that shallow high that comes off from getting likes on your photos and new followers.
  2. Anti-quantified self (I don’t quantity my self-worth and self-esteem as a photographer/visual-artist based on my like/follower numbers).
  3. Less anxiety and pressure to constantly share photos online: No need to upload 1 photo a day (exactly at noon to maximize your likes). No fear of losing influence (algorithms change our behavior)
  4. More artistic freedom: I have experimented more with my photography (shooting more textures, non-street photography, and videos). When I was addicted to social media, I strove to prove to others that I was a ‘good’/competent/legitimate street photographer (by making ‘good’ street photographs), instead of just focusing on making photos that I personally liked looking at.
  5. More enjoying of the photographic process: I strive to make photos that I like to look at, for my own private enjoyment. It seems the best way to stay motivated in photography is to make photos you like to look at, and then share those photos.
  6. More focus on building my own platform: Don’t be a digital-share cropper (only sharing your photos on Instagram/Facebook). Don’t build your kingdom on quicksand (the land of others). Invest in yourself and build your own platform (your own website/blog). Also by getting off Instagram, I have more focus to build my own new photo startup (ARS — the first ‘democratic’ photography feedback platform).
  7. More publishing to my own blog: Since being off social media, I’ve been able to focus on publishing more to this blog. Ultimately I know that building up this blog will increase my own personal equity, giving me more long-term success, and more long-term control over myself, my photos, and my life.

More turbo thoughts to come.

ERIC

If you’re looking for more personal meaning and feedback on your photos, upload them to arsbeta.com >

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