Jen Atkin “Cried” On Instagram: Was That Vulnerable Or Narcissistic?
What message is online sadness really sending?
If you’ve talked to me in the past few months, you’ll know how obsessed I am with celebrity hairstylist/beauty influencer/entrepreneur Jen Atkin. I can’t stop stalking her boast about her best friends, the Kardashian-Jenner sisters, and her arsenal of gifted Hypebeast merch from Kanye’s Yeezy and everything Virgil Abloh.
While all those traits scream fake-ass-bitch, on most days her social media vibe is so infectious it actually physically motivates me to work harder towards my life goals. She always preaches friendship, makes smart business decisions (in my opinion), and has the results to prove her killer work ethic.
Her life must be great. Which is why this Instagram post piqued my interest:
This certainly wasn’t the first time I’d seen a post of someone admitting to having experienced negative emotions: sadness, depression, even wanting to kill themselves. I used to reserve “liking” such posts; I didn’t know if I would send a wrong message. At my most cynical, scrolling through comments would often sicken me. I’m super against exploiting personal issues for attention.
In her post, Atkin didn’t explain why she cried, but she didn’t need to. Somehow, I was moved by the simplicity of her admission. I later on read her explanation on IG stories:
At first I thought, maybe it was because Atkin’s a great communicator that I was able to take away some value from her sharing her setbacks with “the world.” But then I realised what she did that I hadn’t seen before from similar posts: she empowered her followers at the end.
I’m not saying everyone who needs to share their frustration should double-up as therapists themselves. I just don’t see social media as the forum to talk about intimate problems (especially with non-intimate people) and wait for others to comment offhanded messages of hope. But, hey, that’s my opinion, maybe it turns out I’m the fake ass bitch who can’t be vulnerable; in any case, you should always do you.
Sometime later, Atkin shared her mom’s message about crying:
That made me smile. Take it from Atkins; find your loved ones if you need someone to talk to. Otherwise, at least update your status when you’re feeling better so your friends and family don’t worry about you offline!
