Writers 
Four Things Social Media Will Not Teach Young Ladies
There was a time when a young lady could look at her life and simply be grateful for what she had. She could admire another person's success without feeling that her own life was a failure. But today, social media has changed the way many people see themselves, their relationships, finances, beauty, and future. This is the world that Emmanuel and Grace Mimshach explore in Four Things Social Media Will Not Teach Young Ladies.
- The book does not argue that social media is completely bad. In fact, it acknowledges its enormous power to connect people, promote businesses, create opportunities, and even transform lives. The problem begins when the same platform that should serve us starts controlling our decisions. The authors describe social media as something capable of both lifting people and destroying destinies.
Imagine a young lady scrolling through her phone late at night. She sees expensive cars, beautiful houses, glamorous relationships, designer clothes and women seemingly living perfect lives. Slowly, she begins to ask herself, “Why don't I have these things?” Without realizing it, someone else's carefully selected moments begin to become the standard by which she measures her entire life. The book calls attention to what exists behind the smile. A photograph may show happiness, while the reality behind it may contain struggles that nobody sees.
This is one of the book's strongest lessons: do not compare your real life with somebody else's online presentation. Social media rarely shows the complete story. The authors therefore encourage young ladies to appreciate who they are, what they have and where they are, rather than allowing online lifestyles to create desperation.
Then comes another important warning: “It is just a text message.” A sweet message can make the heart race. A person you have never truly known can suddenly say, “I love you,” send gifts, compliments and affectionate emojis, and before long, emotions become attached. But the book asks the reader to slow down. Words written on a screen should not immediately become the foundation of trust. Genuine love, according to its argument, needs the examination of time and patience.
The book also turns attention to something many people forget: social media has a memory. Posts, pictures, comments and videos can become a record of who we once were. Using the biblical story of Mordecai and the king's book of records, the authors challenge readers to think about what their own digital history says about them.
A careless post may feel insignificant today but become embarrassing tomorrow. It may affect employment, relationships or opportunities. The book therefore encourages young ladies to think beyond today's likes and views and consider the person they are becoming.
Finally, the authors address phone addiction. Instead of simply saying, “Put your phone away,” they present another possibility: turn the addiction into an ambition. The same phone that consumes hours can become a classroom, business tool, communication channel or platform for building a useful skill.
Ultimately, Four Things Social Media Will Not Teach Young Ladies is a call to wisdom. It asks young women to stop allowing the internet to define their worth, relationships, success or future. Social media can be a wonderful servant but a terrible master. The real challenge is not whether to use it, but whether we can use it without allowing it to use us.
The book leaves its reader with a simple but powerful thought: your life is bigger than your timeline. What you see online is only a piece of someone else's story. Build your own story patiently, wisely and intentionally.
