TikTok, music, reality TV and more: in this week’s mental health chat, some words about things people tend to judge us for liking.
People often have a lot to say about the habits, hobbies, and activities of other people, and we need to learn to ignore them.
I don’t actually believe in the concept of having ‘guilty pleasures’. As a woman in her 40s I am very open about my eclectic tastes. Growing up, my entire family was into music in one way or another so I was exposed to a variety of genres. It eternally amuses people who discover the main playlist I listen to on my preferred music service has over 1,000 songs (and growing) that range from Doris Day, to Slipknot, to The Saturdays, hits from musicals, and much more. Literally, when listening on shuffle recently I enjoyed ‘How Far I’ll Go’ from Moana, which was followed by 90s hit ‘Saturday Night’ by Whigfield, and then onto ‘Freak on a Leash’ by Korn. I have no regrets.
Naturally people have a lot to say about that, but I try to ignore them. Why should it bother anybody else what I choose to listen to, when alone? I don’t demand an explanation for why other people enjoy Beyoncé, just because I don’t. And it isn’t my business why someone may watch reality TV just because it doesn’t appeal to me.
Another significant gripe that people tend to have is the heavy use of social media, apps, or the following of online trends.
TikTok is an app I have on my phone, and it is probably one of the top 5 most used apps on a daily basis. It is primarily a source of entertainment as I have cried laughing at countless videos of dogs, cats, and babies being adorably flawed, and one single soundbite can elicit endless creative videos of differing scenarios, whether they are funny or relatable.
I also use it to access breaking news, follow activists and creative people who appeal to my varied interests, and even learn new facts and skills. At least once a day I download a video from TikTok that has appealed to me, and shared it via my Instagram and Facebook stories, as they are a further expression of me. But that is often decried as me ‘relying’ on such apps as a crutch for a social life or the need to seek some kind of validation.
The truth is, I just enjoy the app for what it is, and am capable of disconnecting from it when needed. It is no different than people who use memes on a regular basis to belittle other people for – you guessed it – using memes or social media.
“Nobody wants to see pictures of your food.”
Cool… except some people do. And, more importantly, I’m not posting for other people. I am posting for myself. As with my music taste, my DVD collection, and the shows I am constantly streaming, these are all ways of me entertaining myself within my own comfort zone. Why do you need to sit back and pass judgement on something that literally doesn’t affect you?
I see it all too often, people looking down on others because their interests and activities differ.
Allow me to climb onto this stage, speak into the mic, and squint into the spotlight as I tell you:
Ignore all of them.
Unless your actions are illegal or harmful, frankly it is nobody else’s business how you get your kicks. I am a staunch advocate for photographing food, posting as if you are your pets, dancing along to an obscure Steps song, binging MAFS-UK, and building LEGO structures your younger self would have been in awe of.
You do you.
