Why Ditching Facebook Feels Like Opting Out Of Modern Life
Facebook promotes a bias towards presenting a perfect self-image
Having hundreds of friends and a constant stream of conversation happening day and night looks extremely sociable. How could anyone be lonely with hundreds of Facebook friends?
In yet another academic study on Facebook from August 2013, researchers claimed that the more people used Facebook in their test group, the more unsatisfied they felt with their lives - regardless of how many friends they had amassed.
“On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection. Rather than enhancing well-being, however, these findings suggest that Facebook may undermine it,” concluded the study.
One explanation - which rings true for my own experience - is the bias towards presenting a perfect self-image. There's an enormous pressure to appear fantastic at every occasion, and whether boasting about success at work, an amazing night out or uploading a photo, it can feel like a competition to see who had the best life.