they say knowledge is power, but sometimes knowledge can be disheartening.
we live in a world where information is readily available - we're constantly exposed to the achievements of others, to news in the world, to answers on the internet. but instead of this being empowering, i find that the more we know, the less content we feel.
social media is no longer a platform to merely share your life - it's a platform to share your highlights. how many photos were you deciding upon before you opted for the one you posted? when was the last time you posted a photo of you crying? of you brushing your teeth? of you watching netflix? we don't post these because they seem like insignificant details in our lives that no one else would be interested in. but it's these details, these incidental moments, that occupy the majority of our lives yet they're the moments that are shared the least.
what this does is it fills our brain with inaccurate representations of others' lives. how many times have you had a really amazing day, only to jump online and feel disheartened because someone else's life appears more exciting? or perhaps, like me, you're trying to promote content and are struggling to gain a following. yet you see 'influencers' who post nothing but photos of themselves with thousands of followers. and although you can believe in what you're doing, it doesn't negate how discouraging it is to see others have what you don't; to see their success, but not their struggle.
this can apply to other realms of life too - knowing what other employees or teammates make within your organisation might seem like relevant information to advocate for yourself, but what i've found is that it only serves to fuel bitterness and resentment. when you know something, you can't ignore it; that knowledge occupies your mind. what we don't know, we can't think about. ignorance then, really can be bliss.
so being ignorant or informed, which do you choose?
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