In your opinion, how did social media affected the way we view ourselves and culture compared to the other cultures?

Thanks for the A2A

Ah. What a fantastic question, Dana!!

Firstly, social media is now as important as bread and butter to most people and the constant need to be online and check the updates has a v strong impact on how we live, view the world and whatever opinions we hold of ourselves and the others.

Social media has the ability to beautify simple concepts into these wild fabulous beliefs that sometimes exaggerates the real essence of the truth. This has gone in the favor of companies which resort to social media for marketing their product and service but it has clouded our vision of the truth. 

Let's not talk about the culture, lets talk about my own personal profile. I wouldnt be sharing anything negative about my life on social media. If i fight with my sister, i would not post that, instead i would post the happy pictures from the vacation i took with her. We silently rule out the negatives to portray such a positive image of ourselves that we also sadly lead ourselves to believe in the little bubble life of happiness when the reality is way different.

The same is with culture. I am a Pakistani. I pride in being a Pakistani. I would never be sharing anything wrong about my country or my culture, So in order to balance out the TRULY HARSH portrayal of my country by an enemy, i would go over and above the required truth about Pakistan. I would negate any cons of my country or culture and would proudly and LOUDLY praise it nonetheless. 

Just so that i would balance the negativity out. Same goes for the enemy country. They would go over an above the required amount to downplay my country and culture. Hence only two very extremes are viewed on social media. About cultures, religions, families, wars, peaceful protests, communities and even personal family life. 

It brought about more pressure to make a good first impression in regards to the individual. As for groups/cultures; there is a doubt about it since it makes you think that special effort was made in order to make that impression good.