Unconsciously, many of us are living our lives guided by the façade people present to us via this new technology called social media—with Facebook and Intasgram being the leaders in the dissemination of the acute falsehood.

Beyond personal levels, relationships are collapsing because of unending social media comparisons—and a video I just came across on social media, ironically, points this out.

People are never what they present to you on social media—forget the instagram photo, that is the best shot from the best angle out of the over 30 pictures the person took. Ask about the 29 other photos, they all went into trash…

Interestingly, many of us continue to flip through social media and bitterly question why our lives are so boring, why things are not perfect with us, why our relationships have so many difficult times and why we can’t be at the beach like the others are—forgetting that, it’s shit out there for those people too.  But all they’ve done is to ignore the mess and uncertainties in their lives (the behind the scenes) and have carefully picked the few exciting moments (the highlights) to throw online just to send you those jealous shocks.

Of course you need to be smart to realize that, “real girls are not perfect and perfect girls are not real”. Therefore, when there is a presentation of that perfect girl on instagram, just know that, she is not real—you are just seeing ‘utopian’ illustrations, made easy by social media.

The pressure is immeasurable when it comes to women with a lot of them having to say things along the lines like this each day; she is getting married, when is mine coming?, Kim Kardashain is pregnant again, gosh, my biological clock is running on its last steam, those are perfect couples, why is my man such an a$$, she looks really toned, why am I not losing any weight…

The above may not only frustrate you, it certainly would mount undeserving pressure on your life, relationship and direction.

I am not an instagram person but if I was, I would have been able to present daily photos of having eaten in some of the fine restaurants around the world—but does that mean, I never eat the usual tasteless Indomie Noodle like many of you?  Who would present a lifestyle of ‘indomie’ on social media when everyone is rooting for a dinner at Central London’s Racine?

Look, social media should have come with red warnings about such things but the reason why such warnings are not in place is that, those behind their creation think we are reasonable human beings who can see behind the veil. Certainly, many of us are not…

Forget the Kim Kardashian perfection, none of these people look exactly as what they present to you online. Who will put photos of his girlfriend crying because of him on social media? But trust that ‘majority’ will quickly share the one time they take their partners to the beach…

There is the need to constantly evaluate your life and relationship and take note of the corrections which need to be given effect, but using social media images and stories as your measuring rod is beyond absurd—it’s damaging to your self-esteem and whatever you’ve built offline.

When there is the need for that critical thinking, leave social media out—disconnect and assess reality as a journey of hurdles laced with countless risks.