Why Do People Like to ‘Flex’ on Social Media?
You may be scrolling your social media in your spare time. Swipe and swipe, you find out that your friend just bought a new smartphone, your coworker moved into his new house, your ex is going on vacation with his new girlfriend and several other people with their new things and activities. You then think about making a post related to something you want to show your mutual on social media. This phenomenon is common, especially with the increasing use of social media in various circles. That is what we call as flexing.
Flex (or flexing) is a slang term meaning “to show off,” whether it be your physique, your belongings, or some other thing you consider superior to those of others. The act of flexing is often criticized as a power move, considered arrogant and insincere. Some also emphasize that flexing tends to indicate wealth. Then why does flexing seem to be something that is entrenched and rife?
Need attention. Some people like to be the centre of attention, and attention will be earned if they can show something that people are attracted to. Something that is considered ‘ordinary’ will only be passed so that people will try to find ways to make others stop for a moment to find out about them. One way that can be done is to show off something that is not easily obtained by others, such as buying luxury goods or going on vacation abroad.
Lack of confidence in real life. People can be very different between them in real life and them on their social media accounts. Those who are too shy and not confident enough in real life will use social media as a medium to show their expressions. Some of them may show their talents more but not a few also show their identity by ‘showing off’ and this is where the flexing happens.
Jealousy towards others. At first maybe someone did not intend to show off, but when they saw other people repeatedly sharing posts that made them jealous, they were moved to also show that they were not inferior to others. This is where the flexing culture is increasingly spreading and growing on social media. The harder it is for someone to control what they see on social media, the worse this culture will bring that person into it.
To show power and pride. In addition to getting the attention of others, some people also tend to show that they have power and pride. They will be very pleased if others think they are great and worthy of being a role model. They are hungry for validation, love being considered first, or even getting people to admire them so that they will get a lot of followers on their social media.
Showing something ‘out of the ordinary’ on social media is not a mistake as long as it is aimed at something positive. Like sharing happiness, motivating others, or just keeping memories. This can be done occasionally and does not emphasize the purpose of putting down other people. Hopefully we are among the people who can use social media wisely.
-Northern Ingo-
