No Snap Zone: 5 Reasons I Don’t Need Snapchat (And Neither Do You)

Snapchat has been a widely used social networking app for quite some time now. When I first heard about it, I just wasn’t interested. I didn’t really know whether it would take off or not, and I generally try not to give into the fads and follow the masses. But as time wore on, I decided to download it because “everybody else was doing it.” Since then, I have deleted the app and stopped using my account because, sorry not sorry, I just don’t get it.

For me, it boils down to 5 things:

1. It’s a bit narcissistic.

First things first, I adore people who are comfortable with who they are and how they look. I think we all could use more of the confidence and if Snapchat is helping with that in anyway, it’s great. However, I just can’t get to a place where I feel like it’s necessary or even normal to communicate with people through photographs. I cannot imagine having a need or a remote desire to take so many photos of myself and share them with people. I can’t wrap my head around why anyone would be interested in a “Snapchat story” of my day. I don’t see why any of my friends would want to scroll through pictures of me making weird faces. And honestly, I have no interest in doing that with photos of them either.

2. The filters are just stupid.

You vomiting rainbows is not funny. It’s not cute. It’s dumb. You terrifying children with the monster filters is also not cute or funny. It’s actually a little psychotic and just plain mean. Get some scissors and cut it the hell out.

3. There’s a news page?

Someone please help me understand why you require news updates to be on an app that you primarily use to waste time and escape reality? It’s for taking pictures. Why would someone wake up in the morning and think, “Well, I wonder what’s happening in the world today. Better check Snapchat.” Go get a newspaper. Turn on the news.

4. Don’t you miss…living?

I don’t see how I would possibly be about to fully experience and embrace my life if I was constantly busy taking photos of it instead. It’s one of the saddest side effects of social media in general, really. I don’t want to miss out on my life because I’m caught up in sharing it with everyone on my contact list instead. I want to see the world with my own eyes and interact with it, not stare at it through a cell phone screen then play it back later. Not to mention, I don’t want other people to miss out on their equally beautiful lives because they’re sitting at a computer screen watching mine.

5. It’s just not necessary.

I mean, 90% of the apps available today aren’t “necessary” but I only use apps that I actually well…use. I have Instagram (and it took me long enough to get into that) so I feel like that’s enough as far as photo sharing. If I want to send someone a message, I’ll just type it out and send it, no photo needed.

It’s none of my business what you do but for me, my life is better lived without taking a zillion pointless photos. I’m not trying to talk anyone out of Snapchat. If you use it and you love it, that’s awesome. But if you’re just not that into the idea, don’t feel like you have to get on the bandwagon. You don’t have to be taking snaps all the time. We all have a choice and no one should feel obligated to do everything everyone else does.

Featured image via Julia M Cameron on Pexels