Will B.

I believe one of the biggest problems with the younger generations that came after Gen X is the media. Social media platforms and businesses that advertise have brainwashed so many people into thinking that everyone is a superstar or special. The problem is most people live simple, average lives with not too much excitement.

This most likely began in the 90s and has just compounded every year since. People are being bombarded at an early age with things like extravagant lifestyles, superstar athletes, and beautiful people at every flip of the channel, every post on social media, and every TikTok or YouTube video to name a few. The problem is the majority of the population are average- looking and live average lives and these sources mentioned make it appear that beautiful people, living exciting extravagant lives, is the norm.

The fact that so many believe they will become rich or popular just by posting on social media should be a big red flag. Its time to start giving these big companies and social media platforms a reality check. It’s not impossible to flip the script and let people know being average is ok. There is nothing wrong with striving for greatness or the limelight but there is nothing wrong with being average as well. The gears of life for the world and society are made up of normal average everyday people working 8 to 12 hours a day doing everyday mundane things most of the year with if we are lucky, a few weeks of the year spent going on vacation and living for the weekend.

It’s fun to dream of being a superstar athlete, a movie star, or globe-trotting living extraordinary adventures but the media has gone overboard and has been brainwashing the masses into thinking that if these people are not, then they are unworthy or failing at life. This is very destructive to some youth growing up when they hit the real world after high school and find out that for most of us, it’s about just making ends meet to pay the mortgage.

I don’t think living an average life has to be boring or even mundane. There can be excitement and enjoyment to be found in most every level of living. We just need to be giving a reality check to the younger generations coming up and also to big corporations that we won’t support this form of advertising where everyone is perfect and beautiful and living an extravagant lifestyle filled with everyday adventures.

Everyone has something they are passionate about; it can be a profession, a hobby, or a sport. Anything we are passionate about can be enjoyed at some level. If you didn’t make it into the NFL you could still play with friends on the weekend or a minor league. If you didn’t make it to Hollywood to be a famous actor you could still perform in community theater. For me, I always wanted to be a photographer for National Geographic, but it didn’t happen so I found a way to do what I love in the community and happen to be blessed with a job I get to use my camera with. The point is even being average doesn’t mean we can do what we enjoy or have little slices of adventures.

This is Will B saying, see yah in the funny papers!