Social media is constantly painted as a detriment to the individual and culture at large.
But every once in awhile, a project comes along that proves the platforms themselves are not inherently problematic.
Such a project recently emerged from Chicago and has received attention from New York Magazine and The Atlantic.
The usual approach to relationships is one of privacy. The little acts of kindness, the annoyances and the squabbles go unmentioned to those outside the couple — thank God. In a bold move that totally shatters that privacy construct, Claire Meyer and Alan Linic are posting every fight they have on Twitter. While the social media generation documents so many trivialities — from outfits of the day to plates and plates of mediocre food — these two manage to make over-sharing intimate.
This Chicago couple met eight months ago and moved in together in September. Knowing other 20-somethings need a few more role models of modern love, they opened a joint Twitter account where they post succinct descriptions of their arguments once they’ve been resolved. @WeFoughtAbout successfully proves that sometimes the little things do cause the big spats. Other real-life couples finally have a relatable relationship that probably makes them feel a little less crazy thanks to this inventive use of social media.
Linic and Meyer’s account reads as a genuine log of a couple navigating new territory together and all the hiccups one may or may not expect. Some seem trivial, like, “I asked Alan to delete Bejeweled.” Some sound pretty familiar, like, “Alan forgot a decision we made and got mad at me for ‘not telling him about it.’” A few are personal and insightful, like, “Claire tried to comfort me and I wouldn’t let her.”
The beauty of this project is the specificity of each post. The couple promises they don’t leave out boring fights, and they don’t try to start them either. Because they post promptly after resolution, they give followers a real-time representation of the frequency and intensity of their spats. And you know what? They seem to happen a lot, sometimes multiple times in a day. But because of their honesty, that doesn’t feel like a bad thing. It’s refreshing to have a role model other than those from chick flicks and that one wedding-movie plot that just keeps getting recycled.
In the movies, whirlwind romances are a staple, but these two are a unique matchup that somehow still represents the everyman and woman. Their arguments aren’t sparked by grandiose, thematic events and are not peppered with incendiary one-liners. They start over flirty waitresses and baby carrots.
Not one to be left out, Facebook is home to its fair share of exposé accounts, too. There are a myriad of portrait pages spanning cities around the world. The most famous seems to be “Humans of New York,” which posts pictures of people living their lives captioned with something impactful they tell the photographer. Every post is a cyber-window into the life of a regular Joe, whether their input is grave or lighthearted.
Accounts such as this produced in Paris, Tehran, Copenhagen and other cities offer insight into the lifestyles and turmoil in other parts of the world that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Social media has manifested some negative consequences in some users, but not all of them are selfie-addicted narcissists. These websites offer people a megaphone for causes that would otherwise not receive one — like relationship clarity and global-yet-personal insight.
Katie McPherson is a UF English junior. Her column runs on Tuesdays. A version of this column ran on page 6 on 11/12/2013 under the headline "Social media projects prove their worth"
