what does having thousands of followers mean to you?
This
post has been in my draft for 3 months as I wrote this during last semester
break. I had the most productive semester break ever because I spent most of the
time with my family and lots of reading. I began my semester break by
re-reading my all-time favourite book titled Sunday Starters (Reflections on
Life). It is a compilation of one of the best-read columns in Sunday Star by
Soo Ewe Jin. You guys should grab one! #highlyrecommended
Soo
Ewe Jin, was an Executive Editor at The Star for several years. The writer who
has changed my life forever, the one who inspired me to write even using simple
English. 5 years ago, I happened to read his article by accident – be happy with what you do have, I always look forward to his column ever since. I
hope he is in a better place now.
Crazy
how time flies so fast that May is approaching, Ramadhan is just around the corner and I am almost done with my second
semester of degree (thank you to transferring credits) I hope everyone is still
persistent with your 2019 resolutions that you have wrote early of
the year.
Anyways,
one of my resolutions in 2019 is to keep my circle small, less sharing on
social media, cut toxic people from my life and living life to its fullest. I
started off by removing accounts that I don’t want to keep in touch anymore,
and also unfollowed those who won’t benefit me in some ways. If you still see
me on your feed – it means you are one of those that I don’t want to lose
(yet). I will keep on removing my followers in order to keep myself filled with
positive energy only because I believe the lesser, the better.
I
find myself much happier and more positive having lesser followers, less
anxiety with what people would think of whenever I post something. Having a huge
number of followers doesn’t seem appealing like how it used to. I don’t mind
not having thousands of followers anymore. I realized that I spent too much
time on social media until I got carried away - in trying to please people.
Though
my followers on Instagram came mostly from my blog, I hope we can still
interact with each other here. There’s nothing fancy to see on my account that
worth to be followed pun! If I were to post something on Insta-story, it would
be for my Close Friends List only. I guess I slowly understand the value of privacy.
Why
do people crave to be famous on the media? Something that I would never understand, or
perhaps if I do, I would probably one of them whom I judged. I would say that
those who think about being famous believe they get many advantages that normal
people don’t. It’s the recognition you earn as celebrities or social media
influencers and mainly, you get more money and also free stuff.
The
fantasies go this way; when you are famous, wherever you go, your good
reputation will go before you. People will think well of you. You will get warm
smiles from admiring strangers and most importantly when you are famous, you
will be safe from rejection. You won’t have to win over every new person. You
don’t even have to worry too much if you go to a new place because everyone
will naturally treat you nicely.
Orville
Gilbert Brim, author of Look at Me! The Fame Motive from Childhood to
Death, says that today’s culture is full of people who don’t want to be
famous for a particular talent, they just want to be famous so they can feel better
accepted.
However,
our society and media teach us that famous people are somebody while non-famous
people are nobody. People with a high number of followers, most likes are likely
able to get free clothes to be reviewed, sponsored beauty treatments, even a
free luxury holiday just simply because they are influencers. Celebrity culture
has become a form of demigod worship nowadays. Look at how your explores are flooded with never-ending #ootd, make-ups tutorials, shawl tutorial as everyone
is trying their best to look good on media.
Fame
is something that happens to humans. It is neither good nor bad, but it does
create change in the lives of those it affects, what they do with those changes
is up to them. Fame can make you lose complete touch with reality. It can do
negative things to a person and one wrong step, it’s all over. Being
famous also means living your life under a microscope. While you gain access to
many things, you lose access to privacy.
In
spite of the fame and the blessing of having become so, what is important to
be to stay real. Don’t let it run life, or make one feel they are above everything.
Mainly because in spite of the fact, the table can turn, and the reality sets
in, and when that happens, it won’t matter how famous one becomes.
I
also realized that positivity is what many people lack when they are struggling
nowadays and it upsets me in some ways. I have always
wanted to be out there, speak to people, and motivate them, be there for them so they could
overcome their difficult times. That is the reason why I am here, sharing
stories, writing my thoughts, and mainly spreading positivity to whoever reads
my post. I want to be able to reach out people on a bigger platform, hopefully
someday in shaa Allah!
People
are crazy about movies and anything relating to celebrities but I want to be an
inspiration and a motivator to people who are ill, going through hard times,
and are depressed. I strongly believe that everyone has the right to live and
there is nothing that cannot be settled. It starts within you; it is the mindset
after all.
Would
I want to change my current life with fame, even if I were given the chance to
be Fazura, Maudy Ayunda even for a day? I would still pick no. I like myself
and my life the way it is. If I could do something worth it – that would be the
dream of my life.
Great
minds talk about ideas, average minds talk about events, small minds talk about
people - Eleanor Roosevelt
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