Social media CEO and Youtuber
O’Neill has been the subject of conversation since embarking on her crusade to rid herself from the evils of social media. O’Neill, 18, has deleted her social media accounts claiming that the false reality it promoted left her feeling empty despite her popularity and mass following.
James, CEO of Los Angeles-based social media company Rise9, has called O’Neill out on Facebook for blaming social media for her life choices. He said in his post:
“Social media can be whatever the user desires it to be. Allowing yourself to become pressured into a false life that you’re uncomfortable with is the result of your own actions and intent. The inability to define yourself, your life, your own sense of confidence comes from a lack of trying to understand yourself.”
Essena O’Neill is wrong; Social Media isn’t a lie.
Social Media can be whatever the user desires it to be. Allowing…
Posted by Zack James on Monday, November 2, 2015
Aside from being in the business of social media, James is also a Youtube star who went by the name Outback Zack. He quit the video-sharing site in 2013 and removed his videos after becoming frustrated with the network.
He believes O’Neill wrongly accuses “mankind’s greatest communication tool” for the poor decisions she made in utilizing it. His Facebook post that was posted on Monday has since been shared over 4,000 times. He continued in the post:
“You decide to take money for a dress? That’s your choice. You decide to spend hours taking the right photo. That’s your choice. You decide to live a life that you feel is a lie? That is absolutely your choice.”
James encouraged O’Neill to own up and take personal responsibility for perpetuating the kind of lifestyle that she herself created. He added:
“Blaming social media, calling it a lie, further shows your lack of attempt to understand yourself. Yes, deleting your Social Media is a step in the right direction. Disowning personal responsibility for your own happiness and shifting the blame is a step backwards.”
