5harathFounding Growth Lead, Willow Voice

Social Media is Our Identity - Undefeated Underdogs

12 Sept 2023 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:44

In this segment of the YouTube video "Social Media is Our Identity - Undefeated Underdogs," Speaker A discusses how a person's digital presence can evolve into a core part of their identity. They argue that the more time and effort invested in an online persona, the harder it becomes to detach from it. The conversation highlights the prevailing narrative in Silicon Valley that an active social media presence is essential for building a company, advancing a career, or achieving success, especially among influencers, thought leaders, and founders. While acknowledging personal benefits from being online for over 15 years—such as opportunities that would not have arisen otherwise—Speaker A also emphasizes that there are multiple ways to succeed beyond constant online visibility. The segment concludes with a call to examine the stories we tell ourselves about the necessity of social media for success.

To me, it's not like our digital presence is the word you used. And what I like to say is at a certain point, it becomes our identity. And the more that we invest in that identity,
Right.
the more we identify with it. And the more we identify with it, the harder it is To detach from that, and so why do I bring this up in in the context of your of of your question? Well, I think there's a lot of people on social media, whether you want to call them influencers, thought leaders, founders that use it as a means to grow. That presence ultimately becomes a significant part of them. And with that, there are narratives and stories. And we tell ourselves, especially if we're in the echo chamber of Silicon Valley, that the only way to build a company or to be successful in your career or to do certain things is to have an active presence online. Now, stepping back, I benefited being online for over 15 years, right? Like, I would not have had many of the opportunities that I came across Um, if I, if I wasn't. Now, that said, with a little bit of distance, what I've come to realize, Sharath, is that there are many different ways to play the game. So it really comes down to, you know, what are the stories you're telling yourself?