Social Media as a Funhouse Mirror
Contrary to what many young adults think, social media isn’t flawless. While social media was originally created to help people digitally connect with their friends, family, and other people with similar interests, social media’s purpose seems to have drifted far away from its initial intent.
Obviously, its ability to connect people with one another is still intact, but the primary reason why many people—especially teenagers and adolescents—post on these platforms is to present a curated version of themselves to the outside world. And even though this may not seem inherently harmful, its consequences can be very detrimental to other users’ mental health and well-being.
People typically share highlights of their lives on social media, like vacations, achievements, and happy moments, but often omit the mundane or negative aspects. This selective sharing of an overly happy and successful life can create a false sense of reality, and has the potential to contribute to feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness in viewers who do not or can not take part in that lifestyle. According to a recent Pew Research poll, “38% of teens say that what they see on social media makes them feel overwhelmed,” and “23% say that what they see on social media makes them feel worse about their own life.” (1)
Sometimes posts from real-life friends or acquaintances can cause these feelings, but in my experience social media influencers do the most damage. Alix Earle, for example, is arguably one of the most popular creators on TikTok and Instagram, and reasonably so. After first gaining popularity a few years ago as a student at the University of Miami, Earle’s rise to fame has been unstoppable.
She’s a fun, beautiful, and wealthy young woman in her early twenties with a large repertoire of amusing anecdotes—what’s not to like? And although most of her platform contains content like “get ready with me” videos or miniature vlogs, in which she tries to be authentic and relatable, Earle’s life still remains unattainable and unrealistic. The videos and pictures she posts aren’t a completely accurate representation of her life as it is impractical for viewers to expect 100% total transparency.
I’m not saying that Earle or influencers in general are inherently evil or malicious, but I doubt they are oblivious. Surely they realize that their implicit or even accidental promotion of unrealistic beauty standards, uber-glamorous daily routines, and other unattainable lifestyles have negative effects on their viewers’ psyche and pocketbook. While I appreciate Earle’s transparency about her cosmetic surgery procedures and continual journey with acne, her curated documentation still portrays her life in a desirable but impractical light for most of us.
Constant exposure to and consumption of influencers’ lifestyles can fuel a culture of comparison among social media users which often ends in unwanted feelings of dissatisfaction and envy. Because of this, maintaining a healthy relationship with social media and its celebrities should be a high priority for users. So, the next time you are scrolling on Instagram or Tiktok and begin to feel like your life isn’t perfect, remember that the influencer’s life isn’t, either. After all, social media is like a funhouse mirror: it can be fun, but it only shows a warped reflection of reality.
(1) Emily A. Vogels and Risa Gelles-Watnick, “Teens and social media: Key findings from Pew Research Center surveys,” Pew Research, April 24, 2023, https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/24/teens-and-social-media-key-findings-from-pew-research-center-surveys/
Strike Out,
St. Louis
Written by: Mary Charlotte Peacock
Edited by: Brook Wang