Some people will criticise anything.
However there’s a fine line between a cute-couple post and a #weekiversary status that makes even your Grandma cringe. Relationships are tough enough to navigate at the best of times, let alone in a climate of celebrity power-couples and the minefield that is Instagram.
But all budding couple’s should know this: A new ‘bae’ is like a newborn—people like to know you’ve got one, but then their care factor dies a newsfeed-clogged death. In 2010 these loved-up duo’s could be forgiven for being Zuckerburgian lab-rats, but these days it’s common knowledge that bi-weekly #love posts and dubious #couplegoals cultivate more eye-rolls than ‘fans’.
So why do people keep doing it? We talked to Jennifer Douglas, a couple’s counsellor from Relationships Australia, to find out.
“Over sharing of a relationship may suggest an insecurity and a need for an audience, attention or acceptance but on the flip side may suggest that they are very secure and have complete indifference to the views of others, are not influenced by the judgment or knowing of others.”
In other words: you’re either compensating for something or are so self-confident that you simply DGAF what other people think. Sounds fair enough, actually. But then, as has been pointed out on Twitter, if you really don’t care what other people think, why conduct your fun n’ games in a public forum?
And if you do, surely you have a moral obligation to your audience to explain everything if you break up?
Here’s the thing about social media PDA. If you’re going to shove your relationship down our throats for months and then just break up and delete every pic with no explanation, that’s kinda s****, WE DESERVE ANSWERS
— Broseph (@CapeCodJoe) April 19, 2018
On the flip side, Jennifer said that under-sharing:
“Can be problematic if there is a big disparity or disagreement between a couple as to what is shared; when it is shared; and to whom. There may be strong differences in opinion and values as to what is considered private and to be kept within the domains of the couple relationship. How the couple communicate, negotiate and be respectful of this difference can give rise to escalations in conflict.”
The cynics will take that to mean you’re screwed either way. Dr Phil would say something trite about ‘balance’.
We’re just going to leave it with you.
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