Doing it for the Gram

Social media has become a necessity for today’s generation. We all know people who cannot even have a coffee without posting about it on the social media app. This is where we understand a pattern. A lot of us go to expensive restaurants, vacations and many other aesthetic places just for the sake of updating it on our Instagram. Doing it for the Gram is basically attending events, and functions, going on vacations, and exploring cafes, restaurants and many other places just to post about it on Instagram.

Don’t we all take pictures and get exhausted all the time and yet don’t stop till we have the perfect Instagram-worthy picture? We do not live in the moment and just focus on creating a perfect picture or video which can be posted on Instagram. This is why today’s generation is big on pretending and focuses less on authenticity.

Travel –

People may visit a lot of tourist attractions and see very popular places but enjoy it very little because they are focused more on taking pictures for the Gram. This makes the travel more of a conquest rather than personal exploration and enjoyment.

Events –

We have all been in that place where we attend events and take many pictures with people we meet. But when we go back to our lives, we hardly remember the meeting we had with people. This is because we are doing it for the Gram and not for ourselves.

Appearance –

It is very important for all of us to look our best in pictures. We post pictures and videos on Instagram where we look the best and this is where we hide our authentic selves. This is yet another doing of the desire to be perfect for the Gram.

Impact of doing it for the Gram –

While it is not inherently wrong to want to post your precious moments online, doing it solely for external validation can be extremely draining.

1. It can make you feel insecure some days because you are not comfortable exploring your authentic self.
2. This can lead to a lot of comparison and loss of peace. One might compare themselves a lot to other people on the social media app and feel incompetent. This is the wrong way to see things and oneself.
3. In the race of wanting to capture all the moments perfectly, you might have the picture-prefect moments but you might feel disconnected with the actual reality. You might not feel what it actually feels to live in the moment.

Wrapping it up –

Doing it for the Gram is okay, but it is necessary to draw a line between experiences and only capturing those experiences. One must feel connected in the moment and with the people around them. Capture amazing images, but first, do not forget to live in the moment. There is so much to feel and experience. Instagram can sometimes feel competitive. But everything isn’t real on social media. Sometimes people are pretending just like we pretend in our stories and posts!

Other social media terms –

1. Creator Economy
2. Boy math
3. Content Creator
4. Doomscrolling
5. Finsta