October 23, 2016-Does Social Media Give a False Sense of Reality?SMU SMC

We have all seen that Instagram or Snapchat post and have thought to ourselves “wow, they must have an amazing life”. Between lifestyle blogs, famous actors and musicians, and models, it’s hard to not find a life we may want. However, these posts that we see every day don’t represent an attainable lifestyle. So what is it in these posts that make everyone think they’re so great? It is the false reality of people’s lives that we all aspire to have.

One of the biggest issues with social media today is the sense of false reality that it gives. While scrolling through Instagram, you will never see an average picture or video. Similarly, no one on Snapchat is going to post a story of a boring party or event. Everything put on social media gives viewers a different perspective on people’s lives. Whether it is food, friends or a party, the material makes you want to be in the poster’s shoes.

Snapchat is the biggest culprit of showing an idealized life. With the right timing, anyone can make an event, dinner or even hangout look like the event of the century. When we look at these stories and see people having a great time, it is assumed that people really are having a great time. However, what viewers often times don’t know is that the snapchat isn’t as easy to get as it looks. Girls especially make multiple attempts to get the “perfect” picture or video. Half the time it leaves people more focused on looking like they’re having a great time rather than experiencing the moment.

Instagram is on the same level as Snapchat in the sense that people choose to post what they think others want to see. This gives the false sense that someone’s life is so much better than it actually is. The interesting part about Instagram is all of the editing that goes on. This is where the false reality really comes into play. What people post on the feed has most likely been through cropping, editing and put through a filter. Women are especially guilty of changing the shape of their bodies and using editing apps to look more appealing. In addition, cropped photos only give the viewer a taste of the environment that the user is in. A dump site can look appealing if it is put in the right lighting and is taken in the right position.