If you had told me a year ago that I’d be running an Instagram campaign right now, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet, here I am, writing my magnum opus about a lifestyle centered around an optimistic, philosophic perspective on social media and managing our day-to-day struggles.
To be honest, I dislike social media. I never had Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok growing up (thanks, Mom and Dad). I always believed that it has had net negative consequences for society.
A 2023 article released by the American Psychological Association, written by Kirsten Weir, cited research on numerous pros and cons of social media and its effects on teenagers. It’s always occurred to me that the loss of personal communication, negative impacts on mental health and inappropriate content outweigh the benefits of mass communication, community and education.
I only downloaded Instagram this past April to have a social media presence for my campaign for the Student Government election. I stopped using it again when I finished vlogging my experience travelling with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Chamber Singers to compete in an international choral competition in Europe.
However, my miniature campaign didn’t just happen like flipping on a light switch. In reality, my “movement” began as an inside joke with a friend. I think I’ll always remember that simple post on my Instagram story on July 22 at approximately 6 p.m. while eating dinner in the Student Union.
We were merely looking out the window with the sun shining on our faces. We were basking. For the next few days, I continued to post on my story following the same theme. I’d be doing something enjoyable with my face pointed toward the nearest source of light. It was funny to me and a mockery of influencer culture. Nobody else understood it.
By the end of the week, I was joking on Instagram that I was the leader of a “movement” and “cultural revolution.” However, I felt that the content would eventually become repetitive. I wanted to put something in my story to keep in touch with friends. Yet, if “Basking” as a campaign was going to survive, it needed sturdier philosophical legs.
The obvious place to begin was the Cambridge Dictionary, which defines basking as “to lie or sit enjoying the warmth especially of the sun.” I knew there was a philosophy to explore here. My manifesto was emerging.
We live in a fast-paced world. We’re constantly bombarded by deadlines, broken by past mistakes and blighted by ambition. The burden of meeting expectations beckons overwhelming dread. If we accuse failure of being the sinister demon persistently plotting the destruction of success, our triumphs become overshadowed by regret that we didn’t meet someone’s standards.
In reality, our natural aspirations to eliminate hardship exceed our abilities to achieve it. Shortcomings are inevitable, and perfection is a moving goalpost. The most terrifying step toward learning how to Bask is understanding that making mistakes is part of what makes us beautiful people.
The world won’t stop for our woe. The only thing we can control is our reaction to it. I also find immense value in balancing work with play. If I’m going to schedule time for academics, a career, extracurriculars, friends and family, I can also clear out five minutes of my day to drown out all the noise and appreciate the good things in my life.
This logic redefined my perspective on how to live my life and the meaning of Basking. By late August, I was associating it with doing anything that I find enjoyable or beneficial for my well-being.
I love running, journalism, community service, musical theater and all manner of cuisines. As a political science major, keeping up with the news cycle and informing my friends feels more like entertainment than an obligation. I highly prioritize my Catholic faith, and it rejuvenates me, letting me know I always belong somewhere.
To me, Basking is all of these things. It’s not just turning one’s head toward the setting sun (although that’s a fun part). The important thing is that it gives me peace and reminds me of what’s good in my life right now, regardless of circumstances. No one is forcing me. There’s nothing else to it. Basking is what it means to you.
The real surprise that’s kept me motivated, though, is the interactions with others. Friends and family that I haven’t seen in months continue to message me privately and comment on my posts. They ask what the purpose is, and I get to have a really funny conversation about how it all started. Students on campus who I don’t know stop me at random to tell me that they love the concept.
Whether I’ll become a cult leader with a devoted international following in the near future is unforeseen. It’s purely for my own enjoyment. Putting it on social media is a fun way for me to interact with people I wouldn’t usually be able to.
One meta-analysis published in April by Nadine Agyapong-Opoku, et al., found that social media impacts on young adults are wide-ranging, and external factors may influence whether social media negatively or positively contributes to one’s well-being. Perhaps it’s time I rethink my perspective on social media.
So, do you feel the call like a moth to a flame? The world will always welcome another Basker.