I’ve seen too much feel-good shit
on the Internet lately, and my inner hater couldn’t take it. Let’s label this “Thoughts from a South
Asian female living in a post-Nina society” (that’s Miss America, Nina D). So Nina represents all the progress the South Asian
community has made in America: she’s not fair-skinned, she’s looking to improve
STEM careers, and she’s future Dr. Davuluri, whatever. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad she’s Miss
America; I think she’s beautiful, and I’m happy for South Asians. But the overhype was dumb, and we’ve still
got issues. We need change to come
from within the whole of the South Asian Community before we build up what is
being perceived about it.
Our social media activity is through the roof (hold your
applause for the irony I’ve created -you’re reading this through social media). Our craving for Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram gives us a sense of acceptance and belonging, and we’re constantly
looking for validation. Social
media dependence is a phenomenon that is affecting all people and not just
South Asians, but I worry that our community’s obsession is unhealthy. I’ve heard these quotes:
“Brown people get
soooo many likes on Facebook and Instagram!!”
“She’s so pretty, but
she doesn’t get any likes.”
To that second quote, what the fuck? Why? Here’s one explanation: all our lives
our culture lends itself for children to grow up in fairly strict parental
households (compared to the majority of our peers), and as we grow up, social
media becomes that outlet where our parents cannot control us. Finally, we have a place where we can
do anything and no one can stop us!
OR, could it be that social media is our own way of proving we have cool
lives too? Can we compensate for
the difficulty of being a minority in this country with social media? Can we knock away the obvious South
Asian stereotypes by revealing our entire lives online? Yeah, South Asians are more than just
those awkward nerds you see in class, we listen to rockin’ tunes, we’ve got
stylish clothes, we go to hip places, and we’ve got pictures and check-ins and
statuses to prove it!!
Ultimately, our online lives help
our rep. Our South Asian collectivist
culture fosters our constant need for us to feel “in-group.” We follow social norms, we emphasize
community, and we want to show that we have the perfect lives. That one girl in medical school engaged
to the attractive fiancĂ© with the amazing job-- we’ve got to be like them. Our South Asian parents place heavy
emphasis on repute, and now in the next generation we choose to publicize our
accomplishments on the Internet.
It’s all an act, and South Asians don’t need to be living a second life
online. The reason behind our
fascination with social media is probably a combination of all of this and
more, but the sooner we recognize we’re doing it, the sooner we can begin to
live just one in-person life, not two.