Instagram Is a Well-Oiled Machine to Make your Life Worse

As the operator of a touristic hostel in Europe, few times I was mocked for not having an Instagram, neither for me nor for my business. After all, it is commonplace for my fellow competitors to promote their Hostels there and use it to attract backpackers.

I cannot argue against the economical advantages obtained from using Instagram to promote a business — neither in favor since I never used it. But I can tell you the many benefits of ditching out this social network or never start using it in the first place.

Epictetus enters the Room

Epictetus was a Greek slave that lived in Rome during the first century. He is one of the three most famous stoics, the others being the previously mentioned Seneca, and the emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. From the former, I recommend the book Meditations.

His rich owner allowed him to study philosophy under the tutelage of Musonius Rufus. Later, Epictetus became a freeman and moved back to Greece, where he founded a school that quickly became popular. Even the emperor Hadrian heard his words. While successful in his philosophical teaching, he lived a very simple — but long — life.

The Enchiridion (a word that means something like “manual” in greek)is a short book from this author, that I had the pleasure to listen while walking in the parks of Ochota, Warsaw, where I live. It have an unusual format for today’s standards. It is mainly is composed of aphorisms grouped by common themes. Quite short, in contrast to the 3-volume Moral Letters from Seneca.

Yes, it is short. Yes, it is unusual for today’s standards. But how rich is the Enchiridion!. And, in the case you forgot, my esteemed reader, I still owe you the explanation of why Epictetus convinced me to not waste my time with Instagram. That is where we are heading now.

“For what else is tragedy than the perturbations of men who value external[…]?”

The aphorism above, part of Epictetus discourses that inspired the Enchiridion, summarizes my first argument against Instagram.

While the usage of social media is mostly shallow and for quasi-entertainment, each one of the networks can argue that they also serve a noble purpose.

* Linkedin may help you to find a better job, but one must not be lost in the ocean of self-promotion.

* Whatsapp will allow an expatriate to connect with his family, but he or she shall be cautious to not use it as a substitute for real conversations.

* Facebook assists us in getting in touch with groups with common interests, but one should not lose daylight while in internet discussions.

But what is the noble purpose behind Instagram? It is vanity. It is all about vanity. It is all about the drops of dopamine in your brain, every time someone likes your heavily-edited beach picture.

Why someone opts to drown, willingly, in an ocean of vanity? The most common justification is the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), the herd-like behavior of creating a profile just because everyone else done.

A very weak reason, I would say.

“It is better to die of hunger and … be released from grief … than to live in abundance with perturbation.”

The phrase above was written by Epictetus in a paragraph where he condemns those that punish their slaves for more productivity, more riches. In other words, he tells us that it is better to be poor with a clean conscience than to be rich and guilty. If you see similarities between this notion and Christian thought, do not be surprised: you are not the first. Epictetus and other stoics influenced and were influenced, early Christian writers like Origen of Alexandria.

How many times, when traveling, I saw people losing magnificent views, splendid sunsets, or unique artistic performances just because they were too focused on taking the best Instagram picture of the moment? How many times did I saw nervous tourists because their shots were not good enough, asking for their partners to obsessively take another pic while losing the dolphins playing in the background or any other natural gift we are lucky to witness?

What is the point of having abundance with perturbation? After all, they were wasting the gifts bestowed to them, in exchange for futile likes.

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”

While Instagram makes its hardcore users waste precious time during their holidays taking shots to post and gain likes, the problem continues when vacation ends.

Either people will keep their profiles running for months with pictures of last summer holidays, or they will not post anything. The last option is not that bad if it was not accompanied by anxiety. Anxiety caused by the need to post something, the need to gain likes, the need to have compliments.

But the problem is that likes and compliments rarely come to a picture of your work desk. That is when people start to crave, even suffer, in the wait for the next holiday, vacation, ignoring their present existence and living only on the perspective of future that may not come.

Others, to not waste their time waiting until the next summer, start to post random selfies, exposing themselves and their intimacy in an almost beggar-fashion. Instead of coins, they ask for approval.

Sad.

Together with the desire to have more fancy trips, or cars, or bags to use and post in their profiles, comes envy. Envy from anyone that had these enjoyments without doing any greater effort.

In this case, Envy is no more than a symptom of low self-esteem, of one thinking that material goods mean superior existence.

One teaching from Epictetus that applies to the over-materialistic atmosphere of Instagram is summarized by the quote:

These reasonings are unconnected: “I am richer than you, therefore I am better”; “I am more eloquent than you, therefore I am better.” The connection is rather this: “I am richer than you, therefore my property is greater than yours;” “I am more eloquent than you, therefore my style is better than yours.” But you, after all, are neither property nor style.”

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.”

Almost finishing this article — or should I say rant? You can classify as you prefer, I will not be offended — I come with the most important reason that I am not on Instagram.

I can not learn anything there. Having a profile on Instagram does not make me be a better person in any way possible. While on Facebook — especially in groups of highly specialized subjects — , Linkedin or Quora one can find quality content, IG is all about visuals. Well, one or other profile there may have some interesting infographic, but let’s be honest, it is an insignificant proportion among all the tanned bodies and selfies.

As the subtitle above, also from the Enchiridion, states, who want to improve, must be comfortable with looking foolish or stupid. But nobody in IG wants to look stupid. Everyone wants to look fabulous, fit, smart, and successful. Nobody learns anything, because everyone is too good for that. But I am not.

Yes, maybe my fellow competitors are right. Maybe I am losing customers by not having an Instagram.

What I am winning? At the risk of being repetitive, I will let Epictetus answer this one.

“What is the product of virtue? Tranquillity.”

Levi Borba is CEO of Colligere Expatriate Consultancy, creator of the channel Small Business Hacks, and a best-selling author.