The Notre Dame Cathedral in France lost its iconic spire and part of its roof due to a catastrophic fire last week that spread from the building’s ceiling. This sudden tragedy damaged a potent symbol of both Catholicism and history, shaking the world to its core at the beginning of Holy Week.
The spire of Notre Dame did not go down in vain, however, as thousands of people from all over the world took the opportunity to brag about their trips to Paris. How original.
It takes a special, insurmountable and toxic ego to watch a tragedy unfold and think to yourself, “I hope I still have those vacation photos in my camera roll.”
Social media has led to a level of narcissism that I would have only thought could be found in today’s White House, at various hotels in New York City, on golf courses across the East Coast or in multiple rundown casinos.
The widespread reaction to Notre Dame fueled by the desire for digital validation is nothing new. After every single mass shooting, bombing, natural disaster or what have you, empty-headed, like-hunting egomaniacs flood to their twitter accounts, all tweeting the same thing.
notre dame: *is on fire*
ppl with photos of them abroad in paris: pic.twitter.com/MtUuUMkiZv
— chyna with a y 💘 (@chynafromindy) April 16, 2019
“My thoughts and prayers are with the people in Parkland.”
“My thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Puerto Rico.”
Do you have any idea what that is worth? Absolutely nothing. All you are saying is when you post something like that is, “Hey, there’s a lot of sad stuff going on, but do not forget about me today.”
After the shooting in Las Vegas that killed 56 people, a person I follow on Instagram posted a photo she took at a concert she had gone to with the caption, “As someone who loves concert photography and going to shows and as someone who personally knows bands, artists, and public figures who love to perform, I am overwhelmed with sadness and disappointment.”
I always imagined taking the murder of nearly five dozen innocent people and somehow making it about yourself would be something done by Joan Crawford or maybe Mojo Jojo from the hit Cartoon Network show “The Powerpuff Girls,” but not a 17-year-old valley girl who just lacks personality.
There does not even have to be a tragedy to witness this kind of self-absorbed insanity. Now, people will repost birthday posts that are about themselves. I mean, how egotistical do you have to be to advertise that other people care about you?
This reminds me of my female classmates in kindergarten who would wear tiaras on their birthday. I do not care how many times my mother packs me a PB&J for lunch, no frosted cupcakes could warrant that level of conceitedness.
Also, if you exercise, just exercise. There is zero need to publicize it. When you post things like, “Get up and grind,” and “No days off,” you are only doing so to make other people feel bad so that you can feel good.
So many people preach positivity on social media but are rude and narcissistic in real life🧐
— 𝕟𝕒𝕜𝕜𝕚𝕒 (@NakkiaTiawna) April 22, 2019
You are just expressing how insecure you are about yourself. You are like those homeless people who hold signs about the forthcoming apocalypse, pretending like they know something that the rest of us somehow do not.
Above all else, nobody on social media is having nearly as good a time as they try to make it seem. If you actually were, you would not feel the need to share it. Instead, people place their entire identity and self-worth into the number of likes or retweets they receive, as if that has the slightest bit of significance.
Nothing screams “I am boring” more than when I see someone post five slightly different pictures they forced their mom to take of them during their trip to a resort in Aruba.
If you are that desperate for attention and acceptance, practice an instrument, write something, come up with some jokes or build stuff. At least then, your approval will not only be tangible, but it will also be earned.
