The phenomenon of digital identity and selfies across an individual’s social media is a core tool of expression of our online selves/profiles. A Selfie, is a digital self-portrait typically taken with the front camera of a smartphone, shared on social medias such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. Mostly, selfies are taken with the camera held at arm’s length and could also include more than one person.
“Art at Arm’s Length”
The appeal of a “selfie” comes from how easy and convenient it is to create and share them. People have lots of control nowadays with how they present themselves and can depict their “digital identity”. Now, Selfies have changed social interaction, public behavior, body language, self-awareness, privacy and humor.
Selfies as our digital avators give a sense of who we are to other people to show our differences and uniqueness. Posting a selfie shows your followers and friends who YOU are and how you want to be portrayed.
“Pics or it didn’t happen”
For our generation, people are constantly scrolling through Instagram or Snapchat stories seeing what everyone is up to at that exact moment, what they’re eating, wearing, doing on their day off, etc. Most of what is posted is done with selfies and to show people their moments or it “didn’t happen”. However, as the media keep evolving and people are sharing more & more of their lives, the digital identity that once grew could potentially fall. The pics or it didn’t happen aspect on Vacations is being taken to the next level with new generations appearing.
As soon as people land to their newest destinations, the hype for the best Instagram at the most perfect spot is becoming stressed upon. People are starting to feel like locations across the world are now just “photo sets” and spots to take a photo then leave. Places such as New York, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, etc. have certain spots that almost seem like a “must” for an Instagram post or else you were not there. Approaching the Eiffel tower is a mad house with tourists holding selfie sticks, people squatting so close to the ground to get that angle, and people standing near the Eiffel tower not even interacting with each other. People are just solely focused on capturing their trip to Paris and not enjoying it with company.
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Vacation posts are simply a way to post and share to say “look at me!” while your friends at stuck in cold, rainy weather back at home. While being happy and joyful on a sunny vacation, enjoying yourself , relaxing, it becomes normal now, to feel as though we need to share our experiences with everyone online.
"And we try so hard to make it all look so desirable, constantly, at the peril of tragedy by selfie stick. The thing that I, and I think society as a whole, is struggling with at this point in time is-what are the lines between our online personas and our real life ones? (Pilon) " -Annie He
In the article, ‘Instagram is Ruining Vacation”, Annie He discusses how as a full-time finance guru and a part time Instagram star with a following of 60,000, it becomes hard to know when to put your phone down. He also says how when she finds herself staring more at other’s lives through their images rather than her own, is when she puts her phone away immediately.
Just as Annie He said, people are constantly at a focus of making their lives appear a certain way; their digital identity to be illustrated as a fantasized portrait of themselves and life. Places, experiences, destinations, are becoming less and less meaningful and now only for "show".
People’s digital identities on Instagram are slowly becoming washed into the mix with Influencers. While being an influencer or a famous blogger, you are paid by each sponsored post and losing your real self identity on Instagram by saturated paid content. In Buzzfeed New’s article, “What Does It Cost To Be Big on Instagram?”, Blogger Aimee Song with 4.7 million followers explains how at first, she used to thrift shop, work at retail stores and shop with that discount. Now, she gets paid by companies and receives excessive amounts of free clothes, accessories, shoes, and more. Song says,
"You just need good style, You can have all the money in this world and still not have personal style (Lee)."
Lots of fashion influencers spend their own money on clothing and accessories, but what percentage of their own style is being posted on their Instagram page?
The money aspect of posts has taken over what Instagram “selfies” were supposed to mean for everyone- a dedication of digital identity. Now, Instagram is overally saturated with paid influencers posting their clothes that aren’t exactly theirs…
For myself, the "selfies" that I post on the interest construct myself in an online "highlight real" showing the different highlights of my life and update my friends, family, and other followers. I do agree that I only post the photos of myself (selfies) that I think show the best version of who I am and have that full control. My instagram does not show my "real life" where I show what I actually do, unfiltered. I find it interesting and creative to have fun with editing and organizing photos in a grid style. I do not think that it is destructing my digital identity. However, I do think that I constantly make sure my photos on Instagram are relatable to other people and can appeal to my followers. In the future, I'd like to be more authentic with my posts and show my true, real personality and life to break through the clutter.
Bibliography:
Lee , Jarry. “What Does It Cost To Be Big On Instagram? .” Buzzfeed.News, Buzzfeed , 3 Mar. 2018, 11:37am, http://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jarrylee/what-does-it-cost-to-be-big-on-instagram.
Pilon, Mary. “Instagram Is Ruining Vacation.” Black Channel, 13AD, backchannel.com/instagram-is-ruining-vacation-701086a67440#.yfiu2iopt.
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