How to Love the New Instagram Update
Written by Trinity Duong
It’s no secret that how humans approach unexpected newness is often with a bit of skepticism. There’s always something a bit unsettling about adapting to a new environment but in the age of social media, there’s no room to grow accustomed to any sort of normality. Users are always looking for the trends and following to keep up with the reality but those who create platforms for them are looking at it from a bigger perspective. Unfortunately, a lot of the bigger picture has to do with profit and it can make a lot of what you’re usual to look completely different. This doesn’t always have to be an issue though. Adapting to a new environment should be exciting, remaining exactly the same leaves no way for creativity or second thoughts. Recently, with the new unveiling of Instagram’s application, the question of whether the present is better than the past is brought up, and will the present now be better than what’s to come?
A major issue that comes with updating social media apps is that it can outright ask you to change your routine. Every time a new update comes around the first thing that can be observed is the negative feedback that spans across the globe. “Did you see this new update? I hate it.” “I am not updating Instagram, it’s the worst right now.” “Do you think they’ll change it back?” These statements are a natural reflex ingrained in a pessimistic world. We fear change often because it calls into question our own identity and routines. The reality of the subject is that without these updates we wouldn’t be progressing in a way that foreshadows our future selves.
So what exactly are the positives to the new Instagram updates?
A lot of influencers would say that the Instagram creators don’t care about content anymore. That they only care about profit. This is a thought that has crossed many minds with the newest installation of Instagram “Shops” replacing the notifications tab. This can be a concern for influencers not being able to access their likes and comments as easily due to having to unlearn the finger memory that has been established in our brains for years but we should think about it in the context of today. It’s no secret that Covid-19 has taken over our daily lives and with it many small businesses that thrive on in-person interaction. Now with the click of a button, your personalized algorithm will give you previews of wonderful small businesses to support around the world. Some may see it as a way to only win traction and profit but it should be recognized that these interactions and views are what helps many people stay afloat during these difficult times.
But maybe you don’t think that “Shops” is replacing your access to interacting with your followers. Perhaps you see this update as an annoying push to actually pay attention to what you’re doing on social media. It’s no longer a mindless tool to help pass the time, now it’s something you actually have to think about in order for it to function. It’s suddenly become this map that’s blocking you from accessing tabs in a fast and efficient way. Take this as a positive! No more half-minded hours of pressing buttons. You are conscious and aware because Instagram is now making you use a little bit of brainpower. This is going to help you immensely with your motivation when using your phone. Unlearning the usual narrative is going to get your thoughts moving and you’ll no longer look up from your phone wondering where the time went.
We need to start fully embracing updates with open arms and exploring the benefits of it will help you bring a lot more positivity into your life than simply disliking it because it’s not what you’re used to. Let’s learn to love every aspect of social media, even the least appreciated parts of it, because we are living in a new age of technology that benefits and connects us when we need it most.
