This past week, I vacationed with my family in Disney World. It’s a favorite vacation spot for my family. While I was there, I constantly saw people looking at Facebook, Instagram, and other social media forums. The problem? They were completely ignoring the very people they were vacationing with. I assume most people go on vacation with their family or friends because they enjoy spending time with them. Sadly, that was not demonstrated by the people I saw. In one example, I saw a couple both looking at Facebook while their young children pleaded to be lifted up so they could ring the bell that was just overhead. Their parents never heard them. The children tried lifting each other up to no avail. Then, the line moved forward and the opportunity was lost. Over and over again, while at dinner or in line for a ride, I saw entire families too interested in what people they barely know were doing to pay attention to the people they love. I once heard it said that social media should be renamed anti-social media. Sadly, I agree. All to often our social media habits actually prevent us from engaging in real social behavior and instead we focus on a virtual world – a highly curated reality where everyone’s life is picture perfect and utterly fake. We take selfies to show everyone our life is awesome too. Yet, the reality is, it’s all hollow and meaningless. While we’re trying to impress someone we knew in high school, the people we actually love are sitting on the sidelines of our life. Shut off the phone — spend actual time with the people that matter instead of wasting your watching what everyone else is doing.
