In an age where social media holds so much power over the younger generations seeking approval and validation, one person who achieved a high status through it is finally letting go, or rather, changing the game. Instagram model Essena O'Neill recently quit the social media platforms she uses and wants teens who are addicted to them to follow suit.
It's not just some kind of publicity stunt as some may think. For O'Nelil, it's a wake-up call of sorts for herself and anyone who believe they can be happier if their lives are validated through social media. As a way to explain her decision, O'Neill posted an almost 18-minute video on her YouTube account on Nov. 2 claiming it to be her "last ever post on YouTube," where she speaks emotionally and explains her 12-year-old self's false beliefs about her life, her relationship to social media, her disenchantment, how she came to a realization that spurred her to action and what she hopes to achieve by launching her own movement and website.
"I let myself be defined by numbers... it was never enough... I had it 'all' but I was miserable," O'Neill said in her video, recounting her previous work with models who felt the depressed even with their success. She also revealed how companies took advantage of her social media fame to endorse their products and how she could earn money from her posts.
A photo posted by Social Media Is Not Real Life (@essenaoneill) on Mar 4, 2014 at 2:11am PST
She also changed her photo captions to reveal the truth behind her perfect photos and changed her Instagram account name to "Social Media is Not Real Life," as well as launching a website called "Let's Be Game Changers" where she posts daily videos, essays and anything inspirational that she feels will help teens get over their social media addiction.
"The last month has been the first time I've really just lived for the moment, not to prove it online," she wrote at the end of the video.
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