There's a saying, 'you are an average of 5 people around you'. I believe it's true. But everything has to evolve with time, and that applies to this saying as well. People in India spend around 6-7 hours in front of the screen and if you are from this generation, most of it would be social media. You probably spend more time on those apps than with your best friends.
This changes the perspective entirely for that statement. Because now you have to consider the social media factor while considering the average.
When you are going through a phase in life (which is almost always) and you come across an Instagram post which is soo relatable and so called, 'motivational' (which is also, almost always). You get motivated. You feel that you got a solution. It 'feels good'. You change your thoughts, your beliefs infact your values (temporarily).
The next day, you see another post, this time it says something different (maybe the first post told you, 'go and fix things', the new post tells you, 'it's not your fault, don't give a shit about people'). Now you agree with this, again, you find it relatable, you get motivated, it again feels good. You again change your thoughts, your beliefs, values for some time.
Basically, you get 'Influenced'.
Now, remember the first sentence, now how do you calculate that average when your beliefs, your values are nothing but the next social media post you encounter.
And if you are reading this, you might also relate to this, feel the need to change. Until the next social media post which is right there to pull your thoughts elsewhere.
Is it bad to get influenced? Nope. We all are a product of influence from our surroundings. In some way or the other, you are like your parents, like your friends, trying to be the people you look up to as an inspiration. But now, there's another factor in the equation, the algorithm that fills you with random lucrative shit and that's dangerous.
You at your present are the result of the influence on you from your past and same will follow for your future. The next time you save a post or think of sharing it on statuses and stories and get carried away in the moment and decide to change your behaviour based on that single post that popped up in your feed, just ask yourself, 'Is it really me or am I being Influenced?'