Black is the most aristocratic of all colors. These are the words of Louise Nevelson, a profound American sculptor with a Russian lineage. And we can’t help but agree with Nevelson; after all, there is no other color like black. It goes with every other color; it provides them depth and shadow, and it is undetectable in the dark. Lately, black has also been ruling the social media domain for a variety of reasons.
Several of our readers have been coming to us with this very problem – the problem of black profile pictures of people they know and what to make of them.
In this blog, we’ve attempted to fix this issue but researching deep and wide about the potential reasons behind someone’s black profile picture. Let’s start exploring, shall we?
What Does Black Profile Picture Mean?
Without much further ado, let’s get straight to answering your query. So, you noticed a black profile picture on the friendlist of one – or more – of your social media handles and are wondering what it means, right?
Come with us on the journey of exploring the most plausible possibilities behind this incident:
Possibility #1: Perhaps they want to express a vibe.
Given its highly diversified connotations in different cultures and religions, black can be considered one of the most controversial colors in the world. Some cultures associate it with darkness and impurity, while in others, it stands for power, mystery, and elegance.
More than a mere color, black is a whole mood. Therefore, just because someone has put up a black profile picture doesn’t mean you have to look at it as a problem.
There are a large number of people in this world who associate with black and prefer to include it in their day-to-day lives, in their clothes, jewelry, furniture, vehicle, and even social media.
If this is the case with the person you know – who recently changed their DP to black – perhaps they’re trying to express a vibe.
Trends are the essential elements that keep the netizens’ interest in social media platforms refreshed and renewed from time to time.
Be it the most recent Barbie/Oppenheimer trend or any older one, the marketers, influencers, and audiences of social media platforms come together to participate in such trends, not solely for a fun activity but also to feel like a part of something much bigger than ourselves.
So, if you’re suddenly noticing many of your friends/acquaintances changing their DPs to an empty black picture, ask yourself this first, “Could this be an ongoing social media trend?”
You could also go to Google to get substantial answers; you never know, perhaps you want to participate in the trend as well!
Possibility #3: They’re in support of the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement.
If you’re at all familiar with the socio-political scenario of the world, you must have some knowledge about the Black Lives Matter movement, or BLM.
Even if you don’t, we’re here to fix that. The Black Lives Matter movement was a social movement designed to fight against racism and the crimes it bore.
The fire of Black Lives Matter was first ignited as early as 2012, when George Zimmerman, a Florida resident, killed a 17-year-old African American, Trayvon Martin.
Despite the witnesses and evidence, Zimmerman was unjustly acquitted in the case and left free to roam the streets. This injustice led to a large crowd of protestants taking to the streets to fight the violence inflicted on the black community, not just in the U.S. but around the whole world.
While the Black Lives Matter movement had simmered down in the coming years, it caught fire yet again in 2020, when George Flyod, an unarmed black citizen of the U.S., was killed by the Minnesota Police brutally during his arrest.
With the renewed effort of helping the black community gain equality on all grounds. many people around the globe have been doing their bit to show their support for the BLM movement. Uploading pitch-black, empty pictures as their profile picture is also included in these ways.
So, if someone who has been talking about supporting black lives changes their profile picture to black, it could be an effort in the same vein.
Possibility #4: Did they lose someone close to them?
For all the elegance and mystery the color black offers, it’s also seen as the color of loss. Christianity is a perfect demonstration of this concept.
The Christians always prefer to wear somber black clothes while attending the funerals of their friends or family. This also makes sense since they consider white as a color of prosperity and new beginnings; black means the stark opposite for them.
In this sense, black symbolizes grief and loss. Therefore, if someone you know has put up a black profile picture all of a sudden, and you’re convinced it’s not for any of the aforementioned reasons, you mustn’t rule out this possibility.
Now, let’s discuss an even more vital question: What can you do if a friend/acquaintance has recently gone through a loss? Well, their black profile picture is enough to tell you about the state of their mind.
It’s also worth considering that their loss might not be simply a death; they could also be mourning a falling out in their friendship or relationship, a serious fight at home, or a divorce in their family. These events, no matter how unfortunate, often leave us all helpless in their wake.
Your only choice for helping them is to try to spend as much time with them as possible. Make sure they’re not left alone for longer times and indulge them in new activities that keep them invigorated and mentally occupied. And if they need a shoulder to cry on and ears to hear their sorrow, be sure to give them that as well.
Possibility #5: It could be a sign that they’re depressed or unwell.
Before we take your leave, let’s not forget that black is also the color of gloom and darkness. Not merely the darkness of the outside world but also that of the world within you.
In the era of acknowledging mental health and its importance, we cannot deny the fact that our fast lifestyles have opened up a ditch of darkness in our minds, waiting to overcome us at the slightest trigger. Won’t you agree?
Even amidst all the awareness about mental health, it’s not always easy for people to speak up about such issues or ask for help. Struggling to do so in a straightforward manner, someone in your friend circle or workspace might instead resort to indirect measures, such as changing their profile picture to black.
Such measures easily catch others’ attention without giving away their own purpose, which might be exactly what they’re looking for.
So, if you feel like this could be the reason behind the black profile picture of someone around you, it’s your responsibility to have a heart-to-heart with them and try and understand what’s bothering them.
Alternatively, you could also plan little activities – something you know they’d like – to lift their spirits up. The last resort in such cases is to help them find a decent therapist to talk to.
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