More to the Instagram post than meets the eye

            The relationship between technology and the social is linked by our constant and almost reflexive need to use technology to portray our social lives online for the world to see. It has become increasingly more common for a large portion of individuals in our society to have the desire to share every moment - from the time they wake up until the time they go to sleep - with their friends on various social media platforms; and the content that is shared differentiates depending on the platform being used.
             Baym's theory of the social shaping of technology states, "Machines can and do accelerate certain trends, magnify cultural weaknesses, and fortify certain social structures while eroding others," (51) which accurately explains the allure behind "The Prom Queen of Instagram." Having an interest in the lives of celebrities has been a trend for decades. Today, with social media, that interest has drastically accelerated as the window into these celebrities' lives is now in the palm of our hands practically all hours of the day. Thousands of Instragram users are utterly fascinated with the life of, with the exception of her wealth, this otherwise seemingly ordinary teenage girl because they are immersing themselves in the imaginary world that is the persona she portrays to her followers. As Lilli Hymowitz states in the New York Times article, "You can edit your life on Instagram [...] I think people think I'm cooler than I am," Lilli recognizes the existence of an illusion in Instagram in which users can portray their lives to be much more glamorous than it is in reality. As individuals buy into this portrayed life, it can create anxieties and dissatisfaction with their own lives as they do not seem to be up-to-par.
             Moreover, "Instagram celebrities" have fortified new social structures in which it is common to see some of the most followed users begin to form friendships. Whether this entails them posting a photo or video together on Instagram, or seeing them together on their other social media platforms such as YouTube, Vine, etc. these high-status individuals are being brought together through these media platforms and social following. Baym states "social media platforms engineer particular kinds of sociality even as their users develop norms around their use," (51) supporting the notion of the aforementioned social structures having become a normal, and even expected, occurrence.
            I chose the aforementioned theory due to its evident connections to the topic being discussed. I think the way in which technology and social media has encouraged society to present our social lives in the most picture-perfect way has brought a lot of anxiety and dissatisfaction to our own lives, pressuring us to portray ours better as well.

Bonus: An additional article that dives into this issue is this BuzzFeed article in which a couple who quit their jobs to travel the world may portray their lives on Instagram as perfect and adventurous, behind the scenes they are now broke and scrubbing toilets to make ends meet. Check out the link below for an interesting read:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/reality-check#.ni3bZDDOg