Sip, click, eat, click, post! Taking off, click, Touched down, click, Exploring new places, multiple clicks, post! Made coffee click, picked a book to read, click, post! From mundane to exotic, every moment gets framed, touched up & broadcasted.
Talk of peer pressure, this is the zenith of it. Every age group; whether the baby-boomer granny or the collegian Gen-Z, is constantly feelling cornered to glorify their lives. To show-off to their peers how ‘happening’ their life is. It’s like a never ending hurdle race, one with no guardrails too. Someone goes all elaborate to synthesize a reel with the perfect soundtrack, somebody hastily posts a story while another sits for hours creating a perfect post with meaningful captions. And then there are those who just dump it all on their chat, making sure everyone they interact with can see their ‘status’.
All this for what? For fulfilling the deep seated need of getting acknowledged. Seeking external validation. Displaying how ‘rich’ you are. Parading precious moments of your life to make it else’s fodder. Showcasing your inner vulnerabilities or just responding to fear of FOMO. Not that every social share is intentional but these are the reasons underneath the surface.
But isn’t reality far from the glamourous life portrayed? That hike with the perfect sling bag is more of a ramp walk in nature. Those captures shot by a drone camera are more of a ostentatious display of lifestyle than soaking the place. In essence, what you see is what they show you. And like always there are industry secrets. Beneath the rosy updates is the struggle to get one good shot, edit carefully, catch the right lighting, find the perfect soundtrack, post at an appropriate time to get most eyeballs and so on.
Let’s embrace living IRL. Try being outside the frame for once. Free from the burden of perfection, moving at your own pace. Clicking with your eyes, capturing with your ears and letting your nerve endings feel the rush. Afterall it’s hard to explain all of this to someone who thinks sitting by the pool was the greatest time ever! But then to each her own, as long as it recharges your body, mind & soul.
Nidhis.daily.blog 