Would you still be in close communication with your partner if social media did not exist? Probably not. This is evidence of social media’s big role in the dating scene. Social media has reshaped how we meet new people, communicate, and even navigate the complexities of modern relationships.
While social media offers a beautiful opportunity to meet your forever, it also has its downsides: superficial relationships and the constant urge to please a public you have little or no knowledge about. Today's post focuses on how social media is redefining dating, highlighting the negative impacts it has on modern relationships.
In today's dating scene, social media has consumed many of us, whether we are in relationships or single or even married. For instance, when significant others fail to share or post about their partner's major milestones—whether personal achievements or shared moments like anniversaries—people often assume there is trouble in paradise, especially if the couple had a history of posting about their relationship.
We in this current digital age take social media posts way too seriously; we have people constantly monitoring other people’s posts, most especially celebrities posts. We’re always on the lookout for who posts what and who didn’t post what. Let’s take the most recent Valentine’s Day celebration as an example—social media was filled with posts about love, people posted up their valentines (partners) with declarations of love and gifts—some extravagant, while some were very simple—whereas some people never acknowledged that day on their social media handles.
While there is nothing really wrong with this, some people just feel compelled to post because others are; some other people might not know it, but they begin to judge their relationships based on a standard that is consumed online, creating unnecessary competition, leading people to set unrealistic expectations and standards for their own relationships.
In my books, the sensitive ones, due to the issue mentioned above and the toxicity online, have refrained from posting their partners online, choosing to keep their relationship life very private; this also includes people who have experienced the pressure of social media firsthand. They prefer to keep their relationships private while dating, only making it public after marriage to avoid unwanted attention or the risk of others attempting to interfere, or not making it public, ever.
Another common reason why people might want to consider keeping their relationship off social media boils down to the uncertainties of a relationship; some end up working out, while some are very short-lived. In all of these, it’s hard to start taking out pictures of them from your posts when things don’t end up working out; this is especially true for celebrities.
All of these just go to show how deeply social media has affected modern-day dating. These days, dating/relationships feel very performative, with so many posts creating an illusion of perfection—often just smoke and mirrors, it’s hard to miss it. Social media validation seems stronger than the emotions in these relationships; picture-perfect equates to happiness, and people are constantly bothered by what people think, so they feel eager to know these strangers thoughts (unconsciously for some, but deliberate by some) by constantly sharing what should be private for validation’s sake.
Despite these downsides of social media on the dating scene, there are still couples who are genuinely in love and simply wish to express their affection openly through every means that they can. However, while sharing love online can be heartfelt, it is equally important to protect and cherish one’s relationship away from the public eye because people often speak on what they don’t fully understand and let jealousy influence their actions. As the saying goes, "misery loves company." Some individuals project their insecurities onto others, leading to negativity and envy.
While some can handle the pressure that comes as a result of this, others just can't.
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