Social Media Self Confidence, or Just a Mask?

With the prevalence of social media, and the varied accounts and posts from those we follow, it’s sometimes hard to tell how much effort the posters actually put into their image. This could range from photoshop, to using specific angles and lighting to appear leaner or hide their flaws. Just think of those fitness enthusiasts on Intagram, and consider how much is them sucking in, flexing or posing or even resorting to photoshop, for the more professional pages. Chances are, if you met this person on the street, in their hoodie and sweatpants (or yoga pants?), you might not recognize them as the “fitness expert” you’re familiar with online.

This seems to have led to a sort of “counter movement” by users online, spawning the advent of the “body positive” or “fat positive” movement on social media. These movements aim to dispel the stigma against being an average or above average size.

*Typical style of artwork used supporting body positivism.*

While it is definitely important to empower those who feel they aren’t as “beautiful” as those that society hoists up, it should also raise the question of “are these people we’re looking at as standards of beauty actually beautiful, or is it just a mask they put on for the views/likes?” This has been an issue brought up even by celebrities who have come out and asked why they photo-shopped an image where they looked perfectly fine. It sets an unrealistic beauty standard, as people are now attempting to look like someone who doesn’t even really exist…

The message is clear with movements such as the body positive one, that everyBODY is beautiful. Something we all need to remind ourselves in a world that’s commercialism thrives off telling us “you are not enough”. The response to that should be a resounding “I am enough”. However, when others are trying to tell you that you should look a certain way, or dress differently, I think you should go deeper. Respond instead with “I am who I am. Change who I am, and I wouldn’t be me”.