Social media is one of the most interesting phenomena of today. It seems that for many of us, a moment not captured and shared ends up lost forever. While this isn’t such an issue when it comes to most aspects of our daily lives, though, it’s starting to have a strange, unforeseen consequence.
Because occasionally, people visit places of such social and historical significance that putting themselves into the story, by doing things such as taking selfies and vlogging, can start to seem a little ill-judged. But, because of our collective social media obsession, it seems irresistible to try to get that perfect snapshot.
Such is the problem facing the Auschwitz Memorial. And after a slew of people began posing in inappropriate, ignorant ways to get that perfect Instagram shot, the historical site was forced the speak out. Writing on their official Twitter account, they shared a message for those who seem to think that their social media presence is more important than respecting the events of the past.
It’s one of the biggest social changes that we’ve seen in our lifetime. People are no longer ever truly alone – instead, using phones, we always feel like we’re in a crowd of people.
The irresistible need to share even the most mundane aspects of our daily lives is a fairly new phenomenon, and many people are curious (and concerned) as to why social media has become such a big deal.
The app was launched in 2010 and had with fairly humble beginnings. It has since been purchased by Facebook and has become one of the biggest social media platforms in the world.
The photos that we post receive “likes”, and it often feels like a sort of validation in the unkind, unfriendly world that we live in. For many, Instagram has become a very real addiction.
The app is designed to work as a photo diary, but for most people, it serves as a platform wherein others can get a heavily-edited glimpse into their day-to-day lives – but only the most glamorous parts, of course. Some view this editing-of-real-life as being heavily problematic.
If we believe what we see on our feeds, then we’re looking at a strangely distorted view of the world. This altering-of-reality is something that many sociologists are concerned about in terms of our future.
While much Instagram content can make us feel a little bit “less than,” it doesn’t seem to have any obviously harmful implications.
But what about those who’ll do anything for a like?
The rush of a popular Instagram post is heavily sought after – and for some people, that means they’ll stop at nothing to get that perfect, “likeable” picture.
“Doing it for the likes” is a real social phenomenon – and although it’s frequently joked about, it could have some quite worrying implications. It seems that some prize their social-media-lives over the real world around them.
Like, for example, the Auschwitz Memorial. The complex of concentration camps was built by Nazi Germany in Poland during the Holocaust and serves as a sober reminder of the atrocities sadly committed there.
It was on those tracks that trainloads of prisoners arrived at the camp with everything taken away from them and no idea what was going to happen next.
When faced with such intense and enormous tragedy, it can seem impossible to think of an adequate way to acknowledge it.
They’ve been taking their visit to Auschwitz as an opportunity to pose for that perfect Instagram shot.
The railways, in particular, have been the site of a slew of Instagram posts.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum have issued a reminder to visitors that these kinds of photos are, at best, unnecessary and inappropriate, and at worst, hugely disrespectful.
Sharing images of tourists using the railways as a cute photo opportunity, the official account appealed to visitors to stop using Auschwitz as an Instagram backdrop.
When you look at these photos and think about that which the camp represents, it’s hard not to have an immediate, emotional reaction.
With constant access to cameras and social media apps through our phones, the importance of simply seeing, and remembering something for what it was seems to have fallen by the wayside.
It does work on an allegorical level, offering us an insight into how disconnected social media is making us from the real world. The more we share online, the less we’re actually taking in real life.
The fact that a concentration camp has to ask visitors to stop using its imagery for social media likes does sound a little bit like the plot line of a dystopian novel, it’s true.
It’s easy to get caught up in the horrors of what these images could represent in spite of the fact that it’s highly doubtful that any of these young people actually meant any harm by what they were doing.
Some believe that it’s better to quietly experience Auschwitz and avoid trying to capture it on social media. Being present in the moment may help some to better understand and try to deal with that which they’re seeing.
It’s true that these people were most likely not trying to disrespect the historical implications of the site. They probably didn’t know howto deal with what they were seeing, and responded in a way that felt comfortable, and perhaps comforting, to them.
Many think that actively trying to remain totally solemn and sad at Auschwitz stops the experience from being intrinsically human. Some view the move towards lightheartedness as a positive step for society.
They were not suggesting that visitors needed to stop posting images but simply that these sorts of playful, removed-from-context photographs were not appropriate to their setting.
The account shared some images they loved.
Some had the view that any photography at such a haunting, horrific site was inherently problematic, and urged the Auschwitz Memorial to consider a blanket ban.
The official account claimed that photography was an important aspect of remembrance – and it was simply a specific style of self-centred photos that they wanted to inhibit.
If it’s a photograph that represents Auschwitz itself, then it is considered to show respect and deference to the history of the site. If it’s an image that places the visitor, front and center, it’s likely to be considered problematic.
If you’re not sure about whether a photo opportunity is respectful or not, it’s far better to err on the side of caution. A visit to Auschwitz or places like it should be made for the experience itself – not for the pictures that you could potentially snap.
The intention behind these images was not to hurt – and they’re more a symbol of ignorance than of cruelty. The only way that we can become better is to learn, and hopefully this story will teach a valuable lesson.
