Should this middle aged woman know better

[EmShire]

On a certain social media site a few days ago, I saw a photo of two attractive late teens or early 20s women, whom I vaguely know, standing either side of a boy who looked about 15 and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Underneath another woman, much older than them, had written underneath something along the lines of "Lucky James, getting a kiss off those two stunners/beauties."

I couldn't help think that she was just feeding their ego, bearing in mind that they are both (from what I know) generally regarded as good looking and trendy, and also encouraging them to value their looks above other things. It also seemed a bit patronising to James (name changed), as if he is a lesser form of life. One of the girls, let's call her Alice, is already not lacking in self esteem, albeit reasonably nice enough.

What was the “middle aged” woman supposed to say - how your value to society shines through James on that photograph along with the two equally valuable girls. Was she supposed to remark upon their future careers given that would also be reductive and speculative? Their exam results? That would be reducing them to just grades (and they may or may not be praiseworthy and the middle-aged woman may not be privy to that information.
What should she have said?

The point of that sort of social media IS to feed egos. I always find those sorts of posts a bit cringeworthy but I don’t suppose they’re aimed at me.

You’re reading too much into it

The woman may well have been cringing that she felt she had to comment on the photo to acknowledge the occasion it depicted (e.g. if she’s a relative or family friend who usually comments on James’ family updates, which seems likely from her age compared to James’s and the fact she referred to James in the third person, like she’s really talking to his parents) and she was probably struggling to find something to say that fit with the dated tone of the photo without being critical of it, but that also didn’t come across as too sexist or weird to other people.

It’s a tricky balance - social media is a minefield and people will judge you for all sorts, as you’ve demonstrated, OP.

I genuinely have no clue what your point is.