“CHEESE!” the chorus of giggling, high-pitched voices ring in unison as the click of a shutter captures the toothy grins, immortalizing the carefree moment of childhood. The young kids piled into the frame of the photo have not a care in the world. They do not notice the ice cream melting from the cone onto their now sticky hands. They do not notice the un-rubbed-in sunscreen leaving white smears on their cheeks. They do not notice the salt air causing their hair to frizz into unkempt waves. 

But in a couple years, they will. They will notice every imperfection.

That little boy will grow out of his smile; he will stare straight into the camera, unmoving to avoid showing “too much” emotion. That little girl will grow up in front of a mirror and take every opportunity to look into one, agonizing over her reflection. He will hurdle himself into a gym, sacrificing pain for gains and contemplate taking something stronger to get them. She will skip a meal or two if it means she can drop a pant size. 

They will do just about anything to fit into the mold, after all, it’s what everyone else is doing, and damn, don’t they look good doing it. So ladies, “suck in those tummies,” boys, “flex those muscles,” oh, and don’t forget to “Cheese!” this has got to go on my Instagram! 

Social media has a chokehold on our society, its claws gripping the unarmed youth even tighter than most. The deepest wound in its wake is unchecked comparison that threatens both the physical and mental health of consumers. 

The web weaving students into the clutches of comparison starts early. Barbies and superheroes become the measure for unachievable standards in young minds in the wrong environment. As they mature and exchange figurines for screens, magazines and televisions broadcast the flawless faces of celebrities. Their lavish lives seem as perfect as their features, and although we all doubt the authenticity, we can not help but slightly believe the illusion. 

Arguably, celebrities are meant to be set on an unreachable pedestal, someone to look at but never relate to. But influencers, their job is to connect with you, to be you… just more glamorized. Influencers build their platforms on the basis of being #relatable when in actuality, they are posting carefully-crafted content. Content that unguarded young minds will scroll through for hours. Eventually – whether it be consciously or subconsciously – they will compare their reality to someone else’s illusion.

Comparison bleeds into our personal lives, seeping into how we view the people next to us. We resent them because they seem to meet expectations we so desperately strive to achieve ourselves. Happiness becomes a moving target and everybody but you seems to be hitting the bullseye. We have let the outside of others ruin the inside of ourselves with covetousness eroding the contentment of our souls. The narrative spins like a hamster wheel in our minds:

They have the perfect relationship and I want it to be mine. 

They have the perfect car, and I want it to be mine.

They have the perfect amount of money, and I want it to be mine

They have the perfect body, and I want it to be mine.

Greed clutches our thoughts, sending our minds spiraling into a pit that is as bottomless as our desires. Our minds plummet deeper as we want more, and more and even more. No satisfaction surfaces, just an all encapsulating darkness that now takes from you. It takes your confidence. It steals your joy. It leeches your contentment. It incapacitates your capability to show yourself or others compassion. It saps your self-worth. The darkness takes away any hope you have to escape from the chasm of dissatisfaction. 

But light peeks from the entrance. Your story does not have to end there.

Let truth be your rope and reality encourage each grab of your hand as you hoist yourself back to fulfillment. 

Start by building pursuable boundaries to safeguard your mind and control the quality and quantity of what you are consuming. 

Quantity Boundaries: 

• Remove social media “like count” to discourage engagement comparison
• Set time limits for accountability towards your scrolling habits, consider app blocking programs, including Opal, ScreenZen or Refocus
• Fast from digital distractions for a set amount of time 
• Refrain from having social media apps on every device

Quality Boundaries: 

•  Intentionally seek out creators who choose realism over perfectionism
• Find a reliable accountability partner
• Receive mentorship from a trusted advisor
• Consider books like “The Self-Love Experiment” by Shannon Kaiser or “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown

Replace the illusion with tangible truth. Psalm 139:13-14 reminds us that each individual is “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The Lord of the universe intentionally “knit [you] together in [your] mother’s womb” and to compare yourself to someone else would be like comparing the mountains and the oceans. 

Each creation is perfect due to the perfection of the creator and yet they do not look nor function the same. Rather, find joy in your heart knowing that the Lord made the beauty of nature in a single day, while he took nine intentional months to craft you just the way you are.

Let that joy flow through you to others. Do not let envy fracture community; build others up through encouragement. Have courage to fight for truth and the kindness to share it and perhaps you can lower the rope to let someone else escape from the pit of comparison one day too.

What is one tangible goal you can set in place to fight overconsumption? Leave a comment down below.

To read more editorials consider EDITORIAL: Gun violence triggers awareness of fragmented society or EDITORIAL: Executive order restores freedom for female athletes.

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