Why Unfollowing Someone Is Sometimes Required

Are you committing a crime against social media unfollowing people? Absolutely, definitely, certainly, positively, irrefutably (I've now run out of synonyms for absolutely) NOT.

Sometimes the urge to hit the unfollow button is required. You may have followed this person with the best intentions, back when you thought they would be someone who could inspire you, a friend you thought you would be online besties with forever or just someone you know and loved. Let me tell you guys who are sitting there thinking that would never unfollow anyone on social media - your time will come to unfollow someone, believe me.  

These days, from my perspective, I could never justify following somebody just for the sake of it. If I feel this person or group of people no longer inspire me, or the person/group have lost my respect for a certain reason, then I will hit the unfollow button, no questions asked.

I am someone who is all for social media platforms being a happy, aspiring and positive place to scroll through, not a negative, pessimistic and uninspiring one. Why would you though? Seriously? Social media then becomes deathly dull and unbearable, possibly to the point that it has a bearing effect on your mental health and wellbeing.

Each social media platform that I have an account with will have specific reasons for why I would unfollow someone. What I mean by this is that I will unfollow someone on Instagram who doesn't inspire me creativity-wise, is negative, is discriminatory in any form or is just inactive on their account. I will unfollow someone on Twitter who is negative, discriminatory, is bullying other users or who is just a tw*t. I will unfriend someone on Facebook who is being nasty to others or, again, is just a tw*t. 

There is always a good reason to unfollow someone when you need to, it's all about what you are willing to tolerate, but please, don't tolerate it because you think you'd be an evil person for doing the supposedly unthinkable malicious task of hitting the unfollow button. Don't ever feel guilty for doing it. I shouldn't really tell you how to feel, nobody should I ever do that. But all I'll say is -

"They're your social media feeds, make them a happy place. Not a sad one"

However, I do appreciate that there is a certain obligation to follow people like family, friends and your favourite celebrity because you love them so much. You wouldn't be in their good books if you unfollowed them because their baby photos or their lovey-dovey photos of their new relationship were clogging up your timelines. As a little reminder though *whispers* - Instagram has a mute button if the idea of unfollowing is not deemed a good one. Problem solved, no need to unfollow those cherished ones.

For this post though, I kind of want to focus more on those people you've never met in real life or don't have any intention to. I've followed people on social media for one reason or another, then unfollowed a while afterwards because they're feed doesn't tickle my fancy or they no longer inspire me with my creativity. Like I said, I'm an advocate for making our own social media feeds are happy place to be a part of. Also, somebody who inspired you before may not inspire you now, and that's ok. Inspirations change over time, like the wrinkles on your face or the colour of your hair. It doesn't make you a bad person unfollowing someone, in fact - it can be a good thing. 

Think of it this way, the other person would rather have people following them who want to follow them than people who follow them just for the sake of it. We create content almost every day to keep our audience and followers drawn in, I would hate to think that people are following me just because. I may have just warranted an unfollowing spree or two on my own channels now after saying that. Oops. 

Unfollowing someone is not a vindictive act, and it should never be seen that way. Like I said previously, things change over time and as we grow, different people will inspire us to those who inspired us years ago. The people I dislike who unfollow are those who follow/unfollow. That's a trend that should be in the bin by now - along with them. There's just no need for it in this day and age. 

Everyone will have their reasons for unfollowing someone, don't berate them for it, understand they're doing it for the right reasons.