Twitter user @jewlsofelectra tweeted, “Sadness is not beautiful nor poetic, so don’t think being sad is cool because it’s not. It’s a burden you have to endure, and it’s hard. Okay?” Okay. I was going through my daily morning tradition, scrolling through my dashboard on Tumblr, relaxing in my pajamas and sipping on some chocolate milk. Except one day I saw a picture—something I had never seen before. In large bubble letters it says SAD BUT FAB.
As months go on, more and more users are logging onto this once “underground” website called Tumblr. Pictures, text posts, poems all having to do with
depression are becoming common. On Twitter, teens are putting sad before their usernames, music tastes have gone from happy and upbeat dance tunes to slow songs and meaningful lyrics. Once happy kids wearing bright neon colors and smiling all day have transformed into something foreign. My own friends are gone. Drinking coffee, writing poetry, being emotional has now become some kind of twisted culture that I can’t seem to comprehend. I completely understand that depression is not anything to joke around with, but seeing teens act sad to be so called “Tumblr” breaks my heart.
People who actually are sad are getting attention taken away from them and seen as a fad, or a phase due to the uproar the social media has brought upon the subject. Sitting back and absorbing the surrounding commotion I discovered a new term I had never even thought of: self harm. Words can’t describe the intense feeling I get knowing someone out there, people I know, are hurting themselves. Truly depressed, or not. I only have sympathetic thoughts and want to help each and every one of them. These kids are trying so hard to be a specific type of person they forget what is right—being happy is right—while being "sad" seems hip now, you may think different later on. You can start to slowly believe you are lost and fell into a deep hole of self-pity. People who are truly depressed need help, but are not viewed as important when it seems all Tumblr users are the same way. They aren't. To be edgy or have something actually traumatic happen to you, are two completely different reasons and one is obviously a valid choice. Being happy is cool, and social media has brainwashed us to think harming ourselves is in some way "poetic" or "beautiful". I hope someday we can see how stupid fads aren't cool.
As months go on, more and more users are logging onto this once “underground” website called Tumblr. Pictures, text posts, poems all having to do with
depression are becoming common. On Twitter, teens are putting sad before their usernames, music tastes have gone from happy and upbeat dance tunes to slow songs and meaningful lyrics. Once happy kids wearing bright neon colors and smiling all day have transformed into something foreign. My own friends are gone. Drinking coffee, writing poetry, being emotional has now become some kind of twisted culture that I can’t seem to comprehend. I completely understand that depression is not anything to joke around with, but seeing teens act sad to be so called “Tumblr” breaks my heart.
People who actually are sad are getting attention taken away from them and seen as a fad, or a phase due to the uproar the social media has brought upon the subject. Sitting back and absorbing the surrounding commotion I discovered a new term I had never even thought of: self harm. Words can’t describe the intense feeling I get knowing someone out there, people I know, are hurting themselves. Truly depressed, or not. I only have sympathetic thoughts and want to help each and every one of them. These kids are trying so hard to be a specific type of person they forget what is right—being happy is right—while being "sad" seems hip now, you may think different later on. You can start to slowly believe you are lost and fell into a deep hole of self-pity. People who are truly depressed need help, but are not viewed as important when it seems all Tumblr users are the same way. They aren't. To be edgy or have something actually traumatic happen to you, are two completely different reasons and one is obviously a valid choice. Being happy is cool, and social media has brainwashed us to think harming ourselves is in some way "poetic" or "beautiful". I hope someday we can see how stupid fads aren't cool.