This may be unrelated, and I’m sorry if it’s a silly question, but I’d really appreciate your opinions.

I’m Shingo Lee, a columnist. Would you happen to work for a major company, or one with a relatively young average employee age? If you basically think of Instagram as just a photo-sharing tool, you may need to adjust your perspective a little. These days, it’s becoming increasingly common to use LINE for work-related communication and Instagram for communicating with people you’re close to. The younger the age group, the stronger this trend is. For people in their teens to early twenties, this is practically the norm. That said, many people in their late twenties and thirties still use Instagram only as an information-gathering or photo-sharing tool, so generally speaking, you don’t need to worry about it too much. If you work for a major company or one with many young employees, Instagram is important for expanding your professional and social connections. If you work at the company in question, I can’t help thinking you may not be very good at building relationships. Recently, there’s been a concept called “growing your Instagram.” It’s less about increasing your follower count and more about developing the quality of your Instagram profile as a reflection of who you are. Finally, when I read your question, these lines made me pause: >>Am I simply not attracting any interest from the people around me? >>I’ve been feeling insecure and losing confidence, but I think I do have communication skills. I’ve also gone on dates with more than 20 people through the club, and I always make sure to look my best. It’s not that people aren’t interested in you. Most people are like that. What’s more important is your ability to connect with others proactively. If you follow people yourself and leave friendly, appropriate comments, you should be able to connect without making them uncomfortable. In that sense, you may be good at chatting, but if we’re talking about communication skills in the broader sense, I think there’s still room for improvement. Also, I couldn’t help wondering: what does having “dated more than 20 people through the club” have to do with Instagram? Do people who go on lots of dates automatically get more followers...? So, in conclusion: 1. Recognize that Instagram is an important tool, depending on your social circles. 2. Instead of thinking “people aren’t interested in me,” recognize that you may not be showing enough interest in others yourself.

I’m Ayase Nana ♡ Having a lot of followers on Instagram doesn’t mean you’re important or that you have lots of friends. To get likes♡ on Instagram, you can post beautiful photos and use hashtags (#), and people you don’t even know will like them. You probably won’t gain followers unless you post a photo at least once every couple of days. As for hobbies, golf is my thing, so when I use #golf, I can find out about golf lessons, course details, and more. Since Instagram is basically a place where you post about your private life, I think it’s better if people from work or your neighborhood don’t see it, so you won’t become the subject of strange rumors. If you find them, I think you should block them. I let one of my papas (male supporters) follow me on Instagram. He’s such a kind and trustworthy person, so I adore him.

I’m Dai, a male member. People say Instagram is the main platform, but I only use it to follow shops. If no one asks to follow you, it’s probably because they don’t think there’s much point in seeing your posts. It’s less about whether you’re attractive and more likely that your interests simply don’t align.

I’m Aya, a female member. Is it really that common for coworkers to follow each other? I’ve never heard of that. Instagram accounts are usually personal, so I can understand following people you go out drinking with, share hobbies with, or know from your hometown… But I’ve never had anyone I work with ask me, either. I don’t think you need to worry about it.

I’m Taro, a male member. Sorry if this has nothing to do with the question and is a bit silly, but… Isn’t it strange how, after some time has passed, your own fart starts to smell unfamiliar? It’s clearly yours, yet somehow feels like it isn’t. Then again, I realized it’s the same smell I sometimes notice in taxis… Maybe farts are reminding us that, despite having our own personalities and seeming like separate individuals, we’re all ultimately just human. Anyway, about the question: I think there are people who want to connect on social media even though they already know each other, and people who don’t. Isn’t it fine not to worry about it? Social media is all about gaining new followers, isn’t it? If you already know each other, just talk in person. I use Instagram too, and whenever I mention it at a get-together, some people want to follow me, but I generally ignore it. We already know each other, so there’s no need to connect on social media. And it’s not like gaining one more follower makes any difference. Besides, I’d be the one in trouble if they got overly familiar in the comments and exposed my personal information… Anyway, while writing this, I aired out the room and the smell has disappeared, so I’ll leave it there. Take care.

I think the idea that Instagram is the norm is just the questioner’s personal impression. I feel that the main users are people who want to post something from their everyday life—or something they want to show off—and receive validation from an unspecified number of people. For some, it may be tied to their need for self-expression or self-esteem. In your everyday life, do you really want that many likes and comments on your private life? Even if you post about restaurants you wouldn’t dare be seen at in real life, the most people will think is, “Oh, they’re doing papa-katsu…” Why not stand a little taller and try to live with a broader perspective? It seems to me that there are many other things you should be focusing on and working toward. Akari

A little while ago, I attended a gathering for one of my hobbies. It’s definitely a world where appearance matters, and a lot of people regularly take photos and post them on Instagram. But instead of exchanging LINE contacts, we exchanged Instagram accounts—following each other and messaging there. Everyone seemed to take it for granted, but it was new to me. That said, I’m not sure ordinary friends would necessarily want to follow each other. When Facebook became popular, I enjoyed finding old friends and adding more people, and eventually I started following only those who regularly posted on Instagram. Personally, I think it’s better not to show your private life to coworkers unnecessarily. You wouldn’t want them thinking, “You’re going on vacation while you still have a pile of work, huh?” So what does not being asked to follow each other on Instagram have to do with losing confidence in yourself? Marika