In this weeks lecture, once again Ted played with our minds. He introduced us to a topic that we’re all familiar with, but we never take a second to step back and acknowledge. We can link the concept of hyperreality, simulation and spectacle to social media, and the way we create an online presence for ourselves seperate from reality. As young adults, we have grown up in the generation over run by social media and the internet. Everyday as we scroll through Instagram we are introduced to the idea of a perfect lifestyle, stunning influencers, with perfect lighting and lives. We take what they post online, we believe this is reality and achievable, and we create our own illusions of who we are, or who we want to be, and then we post it on social media for all to see. We build our own aesthetics based off what we are exposed to. This related back to Jean Baudrillard’s idea of reality ‘Simulacra and Simulations’. His idea of simulacra and simulations is told in four parts; reflection, mask, illusion and simulacrum.
I have used instagram from primary school, through high school, and now into university. Over these years, I have been introduced to the idea of what a “perfect person”, a “perfect lifestyle”, or what a “perfect body” looks like. We are all influenced by what we see and what we perceive as reality or reliable sources, and in return, we use what we see to perceive ourselves in the same way influencers with perfect lives present themselves on social media. However, these posts are selected specifically and are examples of a ‘highlight reel’. As an audience we are seeing the best parts of their life, and being completely shut out from what goes on behind the scenes.
Looking at my instagram who can tell a lot about who I am. However, what I don’t show on my instagram is my reality. I don’t post photos of myself playing sport, or my travel videos I love making, or my family I spend every waking moment with, or photos of me sitting at home in a baggy t-shirt, oily hair thrown back in a bun, drinking endless cups of coffee and watching greys anatomy on repeat … because it’s not how I want to be perceived.
This remediation is an example of how I represent myself on instagram vs who I am in real life
I’m someone who is super adventurous, loves socialising and dressing up, loves the great outdoors and travel…. but I also love my down time, and I am actually an extremely lazy person when I want to.
References:
Jean Baudrillard [1981] Simulacra and Simulations
T's Timeline 