All my happy friends

How well do social media posts show real life? What is the impact of social media posts on how we feel about our lives? Watch this thought-provoking short film by Paul Howard Allen on the topic of social media and mental health.

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the video and do the exercise. Remember you can read the transcript at any time.

Preparation

Transcript

Woman1: Yeah, they were smashed. Dave stole this hat from a hen party, nearly got into a fight. Yeah, that was a washout. Never mind.

Woman2: This shot shows how much I’m enjoying being a mother. I’m really treasuring every little moment. And here we all are ... all together … a family.

Man1: It’s just a typical Tuesday meal for us. It shows how healthy and balanced my life is. Made it myself.

Woman3: This photo clearly shows how advanced Millie is. I mean, writing up to five, at her age, is incredible.

Woman4: I mean, look at that beach! That’s what you call white sand, isn't it?

[singing] Three, two, one … Happy New Year!

Woman5: What a New Year’s! If next year is half as good as this one has been, then ...

Woman1: I just don’t know why I’m feeling like this.

[baby crying]
Woman1: This is the life, nothing better than relaxing with a takeaway over New Year’s. Oh, what a night! Another typical evening for me, clearly enjoying myself but then that’s the sort of fun, carefree life I lead.

[baby crying]

[singing] People tell me how I’m a-losing my mind but I tell people you just in my car. Oh, time moves faster than me, can’t you see all this job you been working I’ve been a-running free.

© 33 Story Productions

Task 1

Discussion

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Worksheet364.82 KB
Average: 4.4 (29 votes)

Submitted by Martin07 on Mon, 08/05/2023 - 19:27

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From my point of view, social media seemsto be fairytyle, but in the end is just a tyle. It´s key to bear in mind that real life is out there, off the mobile phone. I believe that as a society, we are tangled in this fictional world and we don´t value what´s truly important in life, which is nowhere near to be instagram. The thing is that this issue is affecting a large number of young people who were born with a tablet on their hands thanks to their parents, who seek out any solution if the child misbehave. Eventually they become addicted to the screen and is too late. it´s both a social and educational problem that should be tackled differently, at first acting with the example, and lastly to make the new generations understand what are the important things in life, such as love, respect, self-esteem. etc.

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Submitted by Bamo on Mon, 27/03/2023 - 18:59

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Guess it affected everyone but I'm more worried about the younger generation - since I belong to those who were born in 1980's. Folks nowadays are very competitive to each other let alone teens have complex issues but social media is magnifying the issue. The reward system in the brain shifted from achievement and accomplishments to likes and reactions on your 'filtered manipulated' photos and your copied sophisticated line of thought so everyone can think you're an extraordinary intellectual personality. I was so confused when first my people started using Instgram. Like when I see their posts and look at them in real life I'd tell myself, this cannot be real. A completely different personality. Who are we trying to impress?. It remains a puzzle for me

Submitted by Alcinara on Thu, 02/03/2023 - 19:03

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Social media already affected me. Nowadays I don´t use social media that much. When we see happy moments of people we use to believe that it´s the only way that they are, happy forever. We use to compare this moments, specially if we are sad or something like this. But photos are only moments.
I believe that trying to use less social media could help with this. Having more face-to-face conversations with people, spending more time with friends, talking about everything. People will see that real life is about happiness and sadness too, and it´s alright. We are human beings.

Submitted by Maria Helen Pe… on Fri, 10/02/2023 - 22:45

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Do someone know what a "takeaway" mean on the transcript context?

Hi Maria Helen,

It means food bought from a restaurant to take and eat at home. Another name for it is "takeout".

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Miguelitorico1996 on Fri, 18/02/2022 - 20:26

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Sometimes when I post a photo and I don't get many likes, it tends to affect my self-esteem because I usually compare myself to other people. I think we need to realize that we are all worth the same, no matter how many likes you get or how happy or sad other people look in posts.

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Submitted by OlaIELTS on Fri, 15/05/2020 - 23:45

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Yes. It has. We can be protected by disregarding and skipping those one that could likely affects our mood negatively.

Submitted by Stela Stoycheva on Mon, 10/02/2020 - 14:51

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Ooo, really I think social media does not affect good of our heath....When we see someone buy new house,car, go to travelling somewhere... and It annoys us and we want it...but it`s not for our pocket :( :/

Submitted by Vidyasagar on Wed, 05/02/2020 - 02:25

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No, not that much. I'm not a social media guy. I don't have a Facebook account. No Instagram account. I follow Twitter, but very rare. But still, it affects a little through WhatsApp and YouTube. Political issues and heinous crimes affect me.
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