So Essena "Quits" Social Media. Why Does This Matter?
If you haven’t heard of the 19-year-old Australian, Essena O’Neill, then take two minutes -- she’s everywhere. She’s been praised on major news outlets such as CNN, BBC, ABC and many more for announcing the “truth” about social media. Her “social media is not real life” campaign arrived with the launch of her new website, letsbegamechangers.com.
After reviewing her social media accounts, new website as well as the coverage about her crying outbursts on YouTube, this honestly looks like what it is: an immature 19-year-old girl in transition and having a breakdown from a recent breakup and who’s blaming social media for her problems and discovers what Ted Talks is. I felt my IQ drop.
Let’s cut to the chase, the “SUPPORT THIS” tab.
She explicitly says in her video that she now can’t pay her rent and needs financial support since she’s not making money from social media, whereas her website says nothing of the sort. It states that funding through the 'support this' tab goes towards “interviews with some pretty cool people” and “content produced from (her) own creative expression”, etc. She closes with something that inspires her -- a Ted Talk with famous musician Amanda Palmer, and the relationship between artist and fan called “The art of asking” (for money… as it’s placed on her website).
Not only is this video strategically placed and in a way exploited on her website, but it’s also a bit unsettling as she hasn’t produced something significant as Amanda did. She’s produced crying videos?… This doesn’t seem thought through nor does she show any initiation that’s sustainable. But then again, she’s 19.
What I think is noteworthy, however, is how her cry for attention has become more of a symbolic exchange that resonates with people around the world even though she’s not perfect in how she’s done it, which is the point anyway, right? I also think the reason why she’s received so much press is the discussion it evoked from the public as a commentary on social media and modern society through the lens of a young girl with a following. We do have to account for why this type of reaction to social media is relevant from not only her part but also on behalf of her young fans and how the media covered and is continuing to cover her story worldwide. How is this is newsworthy?!
Maybe it’s true that some people don’t know that many posts are sponsored, even though that’s hard to believe since the practice of product placement has been in use since the late 1800s, but I don’t think she understands that many people do know and consume the media anyway, it’s entertainment. The shift is that we now have the power to produce the media ourselves and be seen online, which can also be used for good causes and human connection. Good for her if she was able to feel a life changing shift from quitting (but not really quitting) social media since she was obviously depressed from her choices in how to manage her online career.
Which brings me to my next point. We must not forget that her self-branding practices were always a choice, as is the way anyone choses to engage with social media and how much of a balance they attribute to it in constructing the life they want. Going from one extreme to the other is usually not the solution but I hope she finds balance in her own life.
In my opinion, her dramatic change has become more of a symbolic commentary on social media beyond having anything to actually do with her as no one else with such self-built social capital (that wasn’t an actual celebrity) has reacted this way in this context. I honestly don’t see anything “game changing” about this and think she’s made a big mistake. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here because all eyes are on her which, keep in mind, is what she’s wanted from the start. If this was a publicity stunt, she’s pulled it off successfully. How she manages the international attention will determine whether this will be sustainable or not. If her platform isn’t sustainable (which by the looks of her website, it absolutely is not), then this might only drop her into the same rabbit hole of life continuing without her when her 15-minutes are over. I hope she’s able to find personal confidence by then and figures out how to live a balanced life without needing the attention of others to validate it.
Here’s a video critiquing Essena’s new position from Pop Trigger on YouTube called “Backlash Against Essena O’Neill, Girl Who Quit Social Media”.
I’m going to go read a book now to try and get those IQ points back and donate to something that actually matters.
