Like” Me or Not, I’m Still Here
Growing up in a very digital age has been full of challenges for my generation and me. In a word where the perception of perfection is life’s goal, where could I fit in? I myself have fallen into the trap of Instagram and keeping up appearances or even obsessively caring what others will think or say about me based on what I post online or how I look. It took me a while (years) to actually realize that the problem wasn’t mine alone. It was what society has implanted in all of us. Of course we allow ourselves to be sucked into this digital world, what feels like an okay place where we can leave and not be affected by it so easily, but in reality it can truly become a never ending cycle of self torture and peer pressure. We don’t notice how much in depth we are gradually falling into this addiction of social approval and even worse – the unlimited chase for perfection. This constant chase has seeped into the music industry. I’ve been noticing how people have lowered their standards towards music and art but since it “sells” it’s acceptable. I feel deeply bothered by this and take it very personally since I feel like a lot of people in my generation haven’t been exposed to so much that’s out there. It is heart breaking to think that so many people will never know what poetic lyrics are, since they are being fed with literalism almost constantly. The magic of decorating words, letters and silence is being left behind and replaced by overly simplified sentences with no space for interpretation and imagination. It is disappointing to even say out loud that passion has turned into greed and our sense of self is now defined and distorted by numbers and status in a world that does not exist. The next generation is boarding in a universe that lets popularity, likes, comments and followers define who they are, which is far from the truth. What are they really gaining from all of this? I have never really known a world without “likes”. A world where people don’t feel pressured to look perfect and don’t feel bad if a post doesn’t have as much engagement as hoped for. I was only 12 years old when Instagram launched. I have only noticed now that everything I thought mattered, really doesn’t. Everything i used to worry about is pure bullshit. The peer pressure of worrying what people will think when creating music, art and content shouldn’t exist because whatever I’m doing is my own vision and if someone doesn’t go along with or doesn’t like it, that’s out of my control. What I have to do, just like everyone else, is focus on my path without all the external noise. What we have to do as individuals who seek to find ourselves and pave our own path, is keep our eye on the prize and believe that our power is that there is no one like us out there. I have to keep believing that I am good enough and that I still exist, whether you like me or not.
-Ashley Delima
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