If you’re a teenager in today’s digital atmosphere, chances are that you have a social media account of some kind. It may simply be a Facebook, which, if you’re being honest, you don’t use anymore. More likely, you have a Twitter or an Instagram. You probably check it daily and post every week or so. But why? Why do we feel the need to share so much of ourselves with these followers? Who cares if they like your post or not?

Teenagers on social media spend hours coming up with what they think will garner them enough approval from their audience. This is because they have a desire to be liked and have fans, like the celebrities they know so well. So, they cater to their audience. A summer beach photo with friends will receive way more likes than a sunset, a fruit bowl or an adorable pet. As a result, that’s what they post. It’s all a performance, with every post adding more to their dishonest narrative. Right now, it’s Act I: “The Early Years.” That will later evolve into Act II: “College is Weird” and Act III: “I Have a Real Job Now.” Just wait until Act IV: “Like These Pictures of My Newborn, or I Will Come and Find You.” Regardless of how they present themselves, social media is their stage, and they’ll be darned if they don’t get a solo.

In fact, if we want to get a little meta right now, my blog is a form of social media. Yes, this is a performance, too. It’s merely acknowledging itself right now. Here I am, giving my valuable opinion on important things. And there you are, not reading it. Is my blog dishonest too? It’s easy for me to say no, but you might not be so sure. This post, in of itself, should prove that this blog is giving you the truth, right? Yes, it is honesty in a neat, pre-approved package. You can take it or leave it. But if you take this honesty, please feed it twice a day with meaningful literature or a hauntingly beautiful cinematic masterpiece. Here’s looking at you, “Edward Scisssorhands.”

Either way, as a 16-year-old who obviously should be trusted because I’ve experienced so much of the world, I encourage you to exemplify honesty wherever you go, be it online or on the streets. You constantly see all this pretense and staging, making it difficult to ascertain what is true. To combat the fiction, you must go out and be real. I’ll see you there.