Tumblr is a social media sight where people can like and post gifs (pronounced jifs) onto their blog of any theme they so choose. It seems like the majority of the population of people on Tumblr are between ages 14 and 17, which makes me feel like an old woman whenever I'm on there.
Why do I have a blog on this site, you may ask?
Sometimes I wonder the same thing for myself.
I like it because I can express myself, and it's unlike Pinterest where people I know follow my boards. I can post whatever the heck I want, be it 10 pictures of long hair that I wish I had, or 37 pictures of places I wish I could travel to. In addition to posting pictures, you can also make text posts about pretty much anything. Just beware of haters.
There is said to be a "social justice side of Tumblr" where all the gays, feminists, animal rights activists, and liberals will speak up to defend their kind. They call out racists, homophobes, etc, and things can get really heated which just drives me crazy. I hate how people, even young teenagers, can be so intolerant of others' opinions. So, sometimes I just have to ignore Tumblr for that day, if it annoys me enough.
There is yet another side of Tumblr that loves weed, and doing drugs, and loads of kids who are obsessed with sex that I just don't understand! These kids also use this site to send "nudes" and it's just so sad to me that these kids are already addicted to pornography. Because of this I have to be picky and sometimes really careful about which blogs I follow so I don't see anything, but at the same time I'm trying to be there for them. They could all use a positive influence, that seems to be lacking based on the things they blog about.
So this is why I'm on Tumblr:
I see teens who have depression, and are extremely insecure with themselves that they self-harm, they starve themselves and are just so unhappy with life! I've seen posts from teens who say they want to run away or they're going to commit suicide that night. And it is because of these poor kids that I stay on Tumblr. I post about positive things. Encouraging quotes, things from fightthenewdrug.org that talk about the effects of porn in people's lives. I sometimes send anonymous messages saying how much I care for and love them. I tell them that they're beautiful, and they have a great blog. I let people know that it's not a bad things to be a virgin. I tell those who are in the darkest of times to look around at the things they DO have, like friends who love them, and an entire community at school who hurts if they were to hurt themselves.
I try to say the same things that I plan to teach in "Teen Living" classes in school, but on a one-on-one basis as if we were long-time friends in the hopes that I can make a difference in how they carry out their lives. I know I'm just a small voice to them, but maybe they'll remember what I said as they hold that razor or knife, or lay awake, curled up in bed at their loneliest times. Maybe, just maybe, they'll give themselves a second chance and find another way to expend energy, to relieve stress. Maybe they can open the curtains and remember that it's still a beautiful day.
Long story short, Tumblr can be destructive for people in the most susceptible time of their lives because of all the hate that swirls around them, but there is also a lot of encouragement from the friends they've made on this site. There is a lot of support there for them, and I only try to be a part of that positive team.
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