Browsing: Social Media

Zuckerberg’s letter is a reminder that there is no infallible authority protecting people from believing potentially dangerous falsehoods. It affirms that on social media, truth is in the eye of the beholder.

1500 miles away from home and three years in, I can finally say I’ve somewhat made Baylor a second home. It’s never too late to join an organization that best fits you. Remember to take a deep breath. You may not be able to see the future, but you can give it your all and go for it.

In theory, events such as formals and dances should be the highlight of our college experience. But let’s face it: Are these events really living up to their full potential, or have they become mere photo-ops?

Known as “The Urban Rescue Ranch” on social media, Christie’s nonprofit has amassed 4.2 million TikTok followers, 2.92 million YouTube subscribers and 701,000 Instagram followers since 2020. The Urban Rescue Ranch is now doing business as Waco Wildlife Rescue and is looking for Baylor student volunteers to help with animal care and social media.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not immune to this feeling, and neither are 75% of people. But I have implemented some more positive ways of thinking that have completely changed my perspective. The first step? Realizing comparison is the thief of joy.

The pressure of being an influencer is hard to conceptualize. Imagine going viral for a “get ready with me” video and, only a few months later, being asked to share your opinion about controversial topics you know nothing about. As a society, putting this pressure on our favorite influencers does more harm than good and is setting them up for failure.

If your realization is that you really don’t know all that much about journalism, don’t worry — you’re not the only one. Mob mentality spreads like fire on the internet, and it’s all too easy to connect the negativity and offensiveness of what’s happening in our world to the source that reports it. But we ask you, please, don’t shoot the messenger.

A lot of us may embrace and engage in the large prayer tent on Fountain Mall and various conversations surrounding the three-day Christianpalooza, also known as FM72. There is beauty in having a space for that on a college campus. However, this is one of numerous examples of public, almost performative, Christianity at Baylor.

In a society that encourages and praises strength, resilience and that “boss babe” mentality, vulnerability is often overlooked or viewed as a sign of weakness. However, beneath the surface, there is a profound power in being vulnerable.

Here’s a tough pill to swallow: Whichever idol you adore could be a completely different person in real life than they choose to project to the world. So, why do so many fans of celebrities and influencers describe, defend and bond over these stars as if they’ve spoken face to face?

Holloway, like other Gen Z Christians, grew up in a cultural environment that sees digitization and documentation as core values. This is the “pics or it didn’t happen” generation, a mantra that has rubbed some church leaders the wrong way.

When TikTok Shop came around, advertisements masquerading as regular videos became even more common. Not only that, but the same products would be advertised again and again in an attempt to pressure users into purchasing via the platform.

The NFL’s tendency to show clips of Swift attending the games has sparked some controversy in both the sports world and pop culture, with many “dads, Brads and Chads” expressing disdain for her presence, from claiming games are rigged to stating she is ruining football. It’s time to stop hating on Swift for attending Chiefs games, but not for the reason you might think.

Sure, it’s true other people in public perceive your significant other. So, why is a video about it bad? Because social media material on subjects like this takes a simple thing and runs with it. It serves as a constant reminder of insecurities and encourages viewers to assume the worst of their partners.

When Gen Z girls were kids, we ran around Justice or bought every scent of Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer. Meanwhile, boys wore those Nike socks with the black line on the back. All was right in the world. So, why are kids trying to become adults when all of us are scraping for our last bits of childhood?

It’s easy to joke about trends, but the visual aspects of them do influence the way we think about ourselves, even if we know what we are seeing isn’t real. The bottom line is, you need to remember that your appearance doesn’t determine your health, nor does what you see online.

So, my friends, I encourage you to post that blurry picture of your friends laughing, or even the one where no one is looking at the camera because they’re having a great time with each other. It’ll be the best thing to look back on.

It’s difficult to conceptualize a solution to propaganda on social media. However, what we can do is check the source of the media we consume. Is this a 35-year-old filming commentary in their mom’s basement or an article from The Wall Street Journal?