Dear Instagram,

Everybody hates you. I’m sorry this unfortunate news is coming from me, but you needed to
know how you are perceived by your associates. Your only purpose is to decrease self-esteem
and increase comparison amongst your acquaintances. Everything you display is fake and you
are a complete waste of time; people only use you as a way to show off.

Because you are so bad, parents encourage their children to limit the time they spend with you,
and some refuse to interact with you all together. Youth are warned that associating with you is
harmful and wasteful.

Recently I’ve avoided you too—not because I hate you, but because I love you too much. I’m
sorry instagram, but I have to confess that I’ve been using you. I use you to get closer to my
family and friends that are distant. I use you to show-off to my grandparents all the things
they’re missing out on. I use you to publicly announce when I’ve been asked to a dance or gone
on a fun date. I use you as a way to share my thoughts and ideas so I can reach a larger public
audience. I use you to view motivational images that inspire me to become more active.
Instagram, I know you’re trying to make me feel bad about myself, but when I’m with you—I
don’t; because I choose who I follow and what I look at when we’re together—and everything
I’m seeing is real.

Instagram, I love you, so I have to tell you something,,, we need to spend less time
together—don’t worry, this is not because of anything you did, it’s because of me. When we’re
together I lose all track of time. I love how I feel while I’m in your presence, so I try to see you
everyday. But I just don’t have time for you anymore; I’m too busy for you. I’m sorry it had to
happen this way, but I hope you’ll always remember: everybody hates you, everybody but me.

I know this adjustment in our relationship will be difficult for the both of us. If the possibility ever
arises that we get back together, this is what I would do differently to avoid heartbreak:
1. Only be in this relationship for you. I will stick by your side no matter how many people
follow our relationship status.
2. I will not let what other people say influence my opinion of you. No matter who likes or
dislikes us, as a public figure, or whatever comments are made about me—I will stay by
your side.
3. I will not be discouraged. I will choose to only interact with those who share uplifting
content. There is no need for my personal consumption of negative images have an
influence of my opinion of you.
4. I will not doubt your devotion to me. There is no reason for me to think you are not
committed to this relationship because of your relations with one of my friends.
5.

TWEED, VERA. "Instagram's Health Benefit Discovered." Better Nutrition, vol. 79, no. 12, Dec.
2017, p. 16. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tth&AN=126304811&site=ehost-live.