Last week there was a massive explosion one block from my apartment in New York City. 

In the moments after the explosion, a man climbed the fire escape to save a woman from the building before it was swallowed by fire.

Meanwhile, at street level, countless people recorded the moment on their phones.

Really?

It gets worse.

In the coming days, gawkers came from near and far to take photos of the destruction.
 
This explosion took the lives of two people and brought four buildings to the ground…which means hundreds are searching for a place to live. 

But a story on equal footing this week in NYC has been those annoying people who feel the need to use this as a social media post…including one now infamous picture taken with a selfie stick of a girls night out.

I think it’s time to admit. This is a SICKNESS in our society.
 
I do it, so I’m not pointing fingers. I’m calling myself out.
 
Everyone is talking over everyone else saying,

“LOOK AT MY LIFE!!!!!”

“LOOK WHERE I AM!!!!!”

“LOOK WHO I KNOW!!!!!!”

“LOOK HERE I AM IN FRONT OF THAT AWFUL STORY YOU HEARD ON THE NEWS WHERE THOSE TWO PEOPLE DIED!!!!!”

Crazy right??

Maybe social media is a measure of one’s relevance and hard work. There’s a certain thrill to seeing people “like” your post. It means you matter! It boosts your brand. It’s good for business. 
But it’s getting out of hand.

People are purchasing “fans” and “friends” on Instagram and Facebook to boost their profile. And it matters.

 Businesses are sponsoring people with more Instagram followers, and not even considering partnerships with people unless they have at least 10,000 fans on Facebook.
 
There’s a certain insanity to keep up, to post more, to post better, to always capture the moment.

So where is this all going?

At the end of your life, will you be remembered for how many likes you received on your social media posts, or the impact you had on making this world better?

Social media makes it easier to be popular but harder to find meaning.

After walking past the East Village rubble on Sunday, and seeing three people huddled around a destroyed car to take photos on their iPhones… I have to ask you, as I asked myself:
 


Are you here to capture the moments… or to live them? @yeahdave
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David “Yeah Dave” Romanelli has played a major role in pioneering the modernization of wellness in the United States. He believes wellness and feeling good is so much more than fancy yoga poses, green juice, and tight-fitting clothes. Dave launched his career fusing ancient wellness practices with modern passions like exotic chocolate, fine wine, and gourmet food by creating Yoga + Chocolate, Yoga + Wine, and Yoga for Foodies. His debut book, Yeah Dave’s Guide to Livin’ the Moment, reached #1 on the Amazon Self-Help Bestseller List, and he has a new book: Happy is the New Healthy. Check out his new show Yeah Dave! and discover more about his journey on www.yeahdave.com. Also, Dave will be launching a modern approach to meditation, called MeditateON, very soon, and teaming up with Happier to bring to you a Meditation Vacation.

Image courtesy of The Life of a Square.