The Social Mirror: How Media Shapes Your Identity?
Antonia Tyc | 01.12.2024 | social media | identity
The Social Mirror: How Media Shapes Your Identity?
Who are you when you are online? Is your social media account a true reflection of you or just the version you want others to see? Have you ever wondered how much likes and comments influence your identity and how others pursue you? A few weeks ago, I posted an Instagram story on my account. At first, it seemed like a simple picture of me hanging out with my friends at the zoo. Within minutes, people began liking the photo and leaving comments, which felt amazing and gave me a boost of confidence. However, after some time, I started to wonder whether I had posted the photo for myself or for others. I had spent at least 15 minutes arranging my friends in the perfect position, followed by another 20 minutes editing, adjusting the lighting, and cropping the image to make it appear spontaneous. The photo wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t entirely the truth. This made me question how much social media influences my sense of identity.
Social Media as a Tool for Self-Expression
Social media is a way to share and showcase who we are, allowing us to express our emotions, interests, and talents. However, we very often get lost in these emotions, relying too much on validation through likes and comments, rather than focusing on what makes us unique. While social media platforms encourage self-expression, they can also lead to feelings of exclusion, known as FOMO. According to Florida Atlantic University (https://www.fau.edu/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/ourselfimage/index.php) research from the University of Pennsylvania shows that limiting social media use to 30 minutes a day helps people get the most benefits while reducing feelings of missing out (FOMO) and other negative effects. By limiting social media usage, we can focus more on real-life connections, our own sense of self and express ourselves in a real world.
A mix of who we are
Social media shapes our identity by allowing us to share different parts of who we are while also being influenced by others' perceptions of themselves. As Gripsrud explains “Our ‘identity’ is […] a patchwork of identities, a complicated set of similarities and differences in relation to other people”. Nowadays we express our interests, emotions, and opinions on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, we adapt to new trends and expectations that influence how we see ourselves. This shows an impact that social media has on shaping our identity by blending what we feel with what we think others want to see. Take a moment and reflect on your social media usage. Are you showing your true self or just what others expect? Next time you want to post something, ask yourself why you want to post it and try to present what reflects who you genuinely are.
Digital Identity vs. Real-Life Identity
Social media often separates our online identity from our real-life identity. We choose what to share online, using filters and captions to create an ideal version of ourselves. While it can be a way to express one’s self, it may also disconnect us from our true selves. It's important to find balance and stay genuine in both spaces for a healthy sense of identity. How has social media influenced your sense of identity?
Staying True
In conclusion, social media plays a significant role in shaping our identity, often blurring the lines between our digital and real-life selves. Therefore it's important to maintain the balance. I encourage you to think about your own experience. Have you noticed social media affecting your self-esteem? Share your stories and reflections in the comments!
For further reading on social media and its impact on identity you may find interesting:
Thank you for writing such a reflective and detailed blog! I really appreciate how you explore the complex relationship between social media and identity. Your personal story about editing and posting the zoo picture really resonated with me because it highlights the tension many of us, not only you, feel between authenticity and the desire for validation online.I found the idea of our identity being a "patchwork" particularly intriguing—it’s so true that social media allows us to express parts of ourselves but also nudges us toward what we think others want to see. The question you posed about whether we post for ourselves or others is one I’ve often asked myself, and it’s such an important reminder to reflect on our intentions before sharing online.The suggestion to limit social media usage to 30 minutes a day is very actionable, and I can see how it might help reduce some of the negative effects you discussed, like FOMO or reliance on external validation. This balance between staying genuine in both digital and real-life spaces feels like a challenge but also a necessity for a healthier sense of self.I’ll definitely take your advice and reflect on how my own social media habits shape my identity!
OdpowiedzUsuńI think it's very interesting that FOMO can be reduced by doing exactly what you are scared of- so possibly missing out on everything going on in the digital world. I disagree that our posts should all be true- while spreading awareness about how carefully curated social media are is great, I do not think that our real life identity and the one on social media have to be so indistinguishable. I behave differently next to different people, so no one knows the same "me". But I agree there has to be a balance! Don't create a different version of yourself just for social media, but remember that not everything you post has to adhere 100% to who you are - sometimes we want strangers on the internet to only see the highlights, and I think it's okay, as long as we remember that ourselves.
OdpowiedzUsuńPersonally, I view my Instagram account differently - it is a memory for me, kind of a photo album, where I can look anytime to reminisce about the past. I believe that is why my social media accounts are true reflections of me, and not just idealized versions. Of course, I care about comments, however I do not let them influence my identity. I am glad that you mentioned this issue, because I think that many people may view their "online identity" differently, which may affect their self-esteem. I find this blog really helpful and thought-provoking, thank you!!!
OdpowiedzUsuńThank you for making me think about this topic, Anotnia. It made me self-reflect. I am also really interested in this topic! When I see the difference between kids of the previous generations compared to chuldren these days I realise how much social media and access to the Internet changed us as humans. I recently attended my friend's birthday when I saw how her younger brother spent the whole party scrolling on TikTok when the other guests were invested in their conversations and dancing throughout the whole night. It was devastating because I believe that connecting with people and family is very valuable for us.
OdpowiedzUsuńWhat a remarkable blog! Thank you for showing both sides of the medal, it's fascinating how social media can both help us express ourselves and also make us feel pressure to idealize ourselves. I've caught myself editing photos or writing captions to fit a certain image. Exactly as you said, it is important to keep the balance between reality and social media, that's why I have a time limit set across all my devices, so I do not "disconnect" from the real world. Keep up the good work!
OdpowiedzUsuńThanks for creating this blog! You wrote down some crucial insights as to why we post something on social media and how this may influence us. The moment of realisation in your story and the question “Do we post things for ourselves or for others” is particularly important. It’s great that you mentioned FOMO, thanks to that I realised that even though I don’t rely heavily on social media I still experience it, so it’s definitely something for me to work on.
OdpowiedzUsuńThank you for initiating the discussion on that topic and sharing your perspective! I found the blog very fascinating and informative. It's really interesting to hear about your thoughts on social media and FOMO in particular. I believe it's very important to spread awareness about such anxieties as the fear of missing out in the modern age. I myself was once a victim of FOMO and realized that only after contacting a specialist. To this day, I am amazed at how non-obvious the symptoms actually are! Many people nowadays may not even realize they have this anxiety. I resonated with the part concerning the difference between our digital and real-life identity. While I agree that it's important to find a balance, I really want to emphasize how significant the internet can be during one's worst times. In my case, it was a life-saving technology and through social media, I was able to either meet new valuable people or stay in touch with the old ones.
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