Being a public personality is no easy task. Especially with social media becoming more and more accessible to almost everyone, things can spread like wildfire. Many people judge you by what you post, and even by what you don't.
[related: Daily Diaries: Celebs Weigh In—What's The Craziest Thing About Social Media?]
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, albeit having a following of millions, is one woman who doesn't let social media define her. Whether these criticisms are about her being "trying hard" for joining the Binibining Pilipinas pageant three times, her overall body structure, her love life, or her supposed lack of activity with her advocacy and charity work.
She totally served major savage realness to her bashers in this Instagram post:
We totally agree with you on this, Pia! We're definitely carrying out these lessons in our daily life:
1. Not everything needs to be posted on social media. Does it really matter if you post or not post the good things you did for today? The most important part is that you made your own contribution to society; sharing it on social media is optional. “Instagram isn’t part of the judges’ panel,” Pia said.
2. Actions will always speak louder than words. You should have your hands full with actual giving/helping work, not with your smartphone to document every moment just so you can show off. “Sometimes the plans you carry have a bigger chance of reaching a larger magnitude if you’re just focused on the work,” she adds. Besides, if you're really serious about helping others, the act should be more important to you than photos that prove it actually happened.
3. Social media only offers us a glimpse into celebrities' complex lives. Even as public personalities, they also have the right to enjoy their lives. In Pia’s case, those bashing her on her personal account tend to forget that there are the official social media accounts of Miss Universe, where netizens can get a glimpse of her activities. And there you can see that:
She took the initiative to get herself tested for HIV,
She engages with the UN to find ways to cure HIV and make people aware of the disease,
And she participates in telethons to raise money for charity. Don't forget that combatting cyberbullying is also among her advocacies.
4. The experience matters more than photo opps. One of the problems Pia sees with giving too many updates on both her personal and official social media accounts is that photo opps distort the essence of the whole experience. For example, her work in spreading HIV awareness and the promotion of HIV testing to everyone in the world. “Why worry about updating everyone on social media and in the process losing the experience because you were on your phone the whole time staging photos?”
5. Haters make people better. Pia couldn't have put it better: “Bashing me in the process BUT still getting the message out there.”
ALSO READ: Daily Diaries: 10 Habits Responsible Social Media Users Steer Clear Of
Banner photograph from Instagram.com/missuniverse