Instagram vs. Reality, and the Commodification of Perfection

[The Rich Port]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX_Bini29kU

I would like to thank my boy Ethan for this exclusive, breaking news story. Shout-outs to all the Hila Kleiners out there.

So, long story short: Instagram people like to photoshop themselves to be more "beautiful" to absolutely impossible standards.

While you can talk about that all you want, what I'm more worried about is why, and no, not why they commit the unspeakable crime of elevating themselves beyond their status as lowly peasant peons... But rather why they feel the need to. Who decided that it's really necessary to do this? Why is it that people want to be Greek god levels of beautiful?

Frankly, I don't think Instagram is the problem itself, but rather the culmination of this glorification of perfection. Not only are they wealthy and powerful, they're also... Bangable, because when I'm a rich powerful person, I also want people to want to have sex with me at the same time. They're American success stories... And that's what really bothers me. This? This is American success? Being an Instagram model? Being rich for no reason? Being credited as smart for mass-teasing people sexually on the Internet?

And that's not even getting into their attempts at politics, from Tana Mongeau's brand of hypocritical egalitarianism to Coby Persin's brand of pedophilic fearmongering to goddamn Joey Salads setting up a fake Trump/Pence hate "experiment".

Is Instagram a disease all it's own, or a symptom of a larger issue in America? What should be done about the fabrication of perfection? Is perfection really worth it? What is perfection, even?

Edit: at the request of His Holyness, The Rictus Erectus, Conserative Morality, an article has been procured, confirming that it isn't just "Instagram models" engaging in this activity, it is also actual models employed by actual corporations.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/arti ... mages.html

[Kowani]

I was honestly expecting this to be another one of those “inevitability of communism” threads.

[The Rich Port]

I was honestly expecting this to be another one of those “inevitability of communism” threads.

XD ouch. Gimme some credit, jeez.

Although, honestly, I think this is kind of the hierarchy sort of asserting itself.

Sure, Instagram models and big YouTube personalities aren't exactly the 1% but they represent, to an extent, in my view, the obscenity of unregulated capitalism.

This is what people aspire to be. This is what it means to have money. Lounging around pools and beaches, photoshopping a bigger ass onto you because you're also opposed to plastic surgery.

[Kowani]

I was honestly expecting this to be another one of those “inevitability of communism” threads.

XD ouch. Gimme some credit, jeez.

Although, honestly, I think this is kind of the hierarchy sort of asserting itself.

Sure, Instagram models and big YouTube personalities aren't exactly the 1% but they represent, to an extent, in my view, the obscenity of unregulated capitalism.

This is what people aspire to be. This is what it means to have money. Lounging around pools and beaches, photoshopping a bigger ass onto you because you're also opposed to plastic surgery.

U n r e s t r i c t e d c a p i t a l i s m is the largest threat to humanity.

[Conserative Morality]

Okay, but they usually aren't beautiful, usually they just look weird.

[The Rich Port]

Okay, but they usually aren't beautiful, usually they just look weird.

... Which. Yeah. I believe the video covers that.

The question is, why are they Photoshopping themselves to look "beautiful" to begin with?

Why is being... Bangable, I guess, part of being considered legit, worthy of following?

[Conserative Morality]

Okay, but they usually aren't beautiful, usually they just look weird.

... Which. Yeah. I believe the video covers that.

The question is, why are they Photoshopping themselves to look "beautiful" to begin with?

Why is being... Bangable, I guess, part of being considered legit, worthy of following?

>> implying I would watch a video

Youtube is a degenerate way of spreading information; text or bust.

[Autonomous Cleaner Bot Cleaners]

The question is, why are they Photoshopping themselves to look "beautiful" to begin with?

Why is being... Bangable, I guess, part of being considered legit, worthy of following?

Primates provide perhaps one of the best example of mutual grooming due to the intensive research performed regarding their varying lifestyles, and the direct variation of means of social grooming across different species. Among primates, social grooming plays a significant role in animal consolation behavior whereby the primates engage in establishing and maintaining alliances through dominance hierarchies, pre-existing coalitions, and for reconciliation after conflicts. Primates groom socially in moments of boredom as well, and the act has been shown to reduce tension and stress.[37] This reduction in stress is often associated with observed periods of relaxed behavior, and primates have been known to fall asleep while receiving grooming.[38]

Grooming in primates is not only utilized for alliance formation and maintenance, but to exchange resources such as communal food, sex, and hygiene. Wild baboons have been found to utilize social grooming as an activity to remove ticks and other insects from others. In this grooming, the body areas receiving significant attention appear to be the regions where the baboons themselves cannot reach. Grooming activity in these regions is used to remove parasites, dirt, dead skin, as well as tangled fur to help keep the animal’s health in good condition despite an individual inability to reach and clean certain areas.[39]

Recent studies regarding chimpanzees have determined the direct correlation of the release of oxytocin to consolatory behavior.[40] This behavior as well as release has been noted in primates such as the Vervet monkey, a primate species that actively engages in social grooming from early childhood to adulthood. Vervet monkey siblings often have conflict over grooming allocation by their mother, yet, grooming remains an activity that mediates tension and is low cost for alliance formation and maintenance. This grooming occurs both between the siblings as well as involving the mother.[41]

Recent studies regarding the crab-eating macaques have shown that males will groom females in order to procure sex. One study found that a female has a greater likelihood to engage in sexual activity with a male if he had recently groomed her, compared to males who had not groomed her.[41]
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_grooming#Primates)

tl;dr - in primates, social grooming promotes hygiene, coalition/alliance/hierarchy building, and boning. Homo sapiens are fancy primates, ergo, their version is relatively techy but basically they're just apes.

[Bombadil]

As Ricky Gervais noted the quickest way to get famous is just to murder someone, in a world where fame is the point we're already there.

I don't see why Instagram is too much different to the photo-shopping of models in magazines for years, or the completely fabricated lives of Hollywood stars in the 40's and 50's.

The underlying issue is the fragmentation of communities, which allows for the presentation of unreality without being called on it.

[Jack Thomas Lang]

Huh, my team and I debated almost this exact topic. Specifically, we proposed that the government should ban all photo-editing software (including filters) that allow people to change their appearance. We won funnily enough, after hammering the self-esteem issue.

[New haven america]

Actual models have been doing this for years now, and it is a noted problem within the industry.

Also, yeah, sexuality is a high commodity within the entertainment industry. I don't blame good looking people for making money off of it, I blame the people paying them tons of money just because the models are pretty for the proliferation of this.

[The Rich Port]

tl;dr - in primates, social grooming promotes hygiene, coalition/alliance/hierarchy building, and boning. Homo sapiens are fancy primates, ergo, their version is relatively techy but basically they're just apes.

That doesn't make it a good idea, though...

As Ricky Gervais noted the quickest way to get famous is just to murder someone, in a world where fame is the point we're already there.

I don't see why Instagram is too much different to the photo-shopping of models in magazines for years, or the completely fabricated lives of Hollywood stars in the 40's and 50's.

The underlying issue is the fragmentation of communities, which allows for the presentation of unreality without being called on it.

I think the fact that his has been going on for longer than Instagram is an indicator that that's NOT the underlying issue at all.

The underlying issue, IMO, is that we're obsessed with being perfect in every way, financially, physically, mentally, etc.

Huh, my team and I debated almost this exact topic. Specifically, we proposed that the government should ban all photo-editing software (including filters) that allow people to change their appearance. We won funnily enough, after hammering the self-esteem issue.

... What the fuck was the other side arguing, that Instagram models are the Aryan Race? How did you win that.

[Bombadil]

As Ricky Gervais noted the quickest way to get famous is just to murder someone, in a world where fame is the point we're already there.

I don't see why Instagram is too much different to the photo-shopping of models in magazines for years, or the completely fabricated lives of Hollywood stars in the 40's and 50's.

The underlying issue is the fragmentation of communities, which allows for the presentation of unreality without being called on it.

I think the fact that his has been going on for longer than Instagram is an indicator that that's NOT the underlying issue at all.

The underlying issue, IMO, is that we're obsessed with being perfect in every way, financially, physically, mentally, etc.

No, we're obsessed with comparing ourselves, hence a community of relatively equal people are far happier than a community with clear disparities.

[Jack Thomas Lang]

... What the fuck was the other side arguing, that Instagram models are the Aryan Race? How did you win that.

They mentioned freedom of choice, and how photo-editing allowed people to make themselves look better and have higher esteem, while also saying that the culture of unrealistic beauty standards was harmful and leading to lower self-esteem...

Turns out, when you fear-monger the issues of fake news, low self-esteem and crime like we did, freedom of choice doesn't look so hot.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Social media in general is a cancer that has harmed younger generations in more ways than one.

[Autonomous Cleaner Bot Cleaners]

tl;dr - in primates, social grooming promotes hygiene, coalition/alliance/hierarchy building, and boning. Homo sapiens are fancy primates, ergo, their version is relatively techy but basically they're just apes.

That doesn't make it a good idea, though...

The not-even-9 years Instagram has been a thing is not even remotely enough time to speculate as to the evolutionary effects cyber-social grooming might have on the species. As to social grooming in general, the dominance of social species, and the primates specifically, might suggest in its favor as a survival strategy. Of course, the occasional random asteroid may insist on turning "goodness" in that respect on its head too.

[The Rich Port]

That doesn't make it a good idea, though...

The not-even-9 years Instagram has been a thing is not even remotely enough time to speculate as to the evolutionary effects cyber-social grooming might have on the species. As to social grooming in general, the dominance of social species, and the primates specifically, might suggest in its favor as a survival strategy. Of course, the occasional random asteroid may insist on turning "goodness" in that respect on its head too.

I think it's safe to say, though, that the evolutionary landscape of today compared to, say, the evolutionary landscape of the emergence of Cro-Magnon man, is... So different that you can't compare the two.

What worked once doesn't mean it's still working. Shit, it doesn't even really apply anymore in plenty of psychological and sociological cases.

Social media in general is a cancer that has harmed younger generations in more ways than one.

... What the fuck was the other side arguing, that Instagram models are the Aryan Race? How did you win that.

They mentioned freedom of choice, and how photo-editing allowed people to make themselves look better and have higher esteem, while also saying that the culture of unrealistic beauty standards was harmful and leading to lower self-esteem...

Turns out, when you fear-monger the issues of fake news, low self-esteem and crime like we did, freedom of choice doesn't look so hot.

Jesus Christ, I think you just created a new generation of neo-fascists XD You absolute mad lads.

Social media in general is a cancer that has harmed younger generations in more ways than one.

I disagree vehemently. You're blaming the vector of disease, not the disease itself, the disease being the unrealistic standards of beauty and associating beauty to credibility.

[Autonomous Cleaner Bot Cleaners]

I think it's safe to say, though, that the evolutionary landscape of today compared to, say, the evolutionary landscape of the emergence of Cro-Magnon man, is... So different that you can't compare the two.

What worked once doesn't mean it's still working. Shit, it doesn't even really apply anymore in plenty of psychological and sociological cases.

Don't get mad at me. It's DNA you should be yelling at. I mean, I'm a big fan of anything that reminds the glorious uberspecies that they're really just apes scratching their butts in front of a mirror, but still. It's not my fault, really.

[Abarri]

Maybe it's partially because of the "likes". It's a form of reward after all that several models just can't get enough of.

Emphasizing the impossible-beauty-standards part, I think it's such in order to continuously sell beauty products and related stuff. Relevant companies definitely have something to do (directly or not) with elevating beauty standards.

[The New California Republic]

So, long story short: Instagram people like to photoshop themselves to be more "beautiful" to absolutely impossible standards.

Most camera phones have a "beauty" function that is built in, so the falsification happens a step earlier in the process now; no need for photoshop.

Oh how I love taking photos on film for this reason. No falsification, no computer changing the image to make it "better" etc...

[Abarri]

So, long story short: Instagram people like to photoshop themselves to be more "beautiful" to absolutely impossible standards.

Most camera phones have a "beauty" function that is built in, so the falsification happens a step earlier in the process now; no need for photoshop.

Oh how I love taking photos on film for this reason. No falsification, no computer changing the image to make it "better" etc...

That "beauty" function irks me. Every time it activates I look ridiculously, unnaturally flawless.

[Nakena]

Instagram has become the absolute peak degeneracy of our time.

[Xmara]

Yes I hate those kinds of Instagram posts so much! I have dealt with body image issues since I was 14 and I hate to admit it, but seeing posts showing women with perfect bodies and flawless looks just makes me that much more insecure about my appearance.

I am by no means attractive. In fact, I’m quite ugly. I’m overweight, I’m ghostly pale, and I have awful hair and a big nose, and seeing people on Instagram who are the epitome of everything I’m not just makes me hate my looks that much more.

[Sanctum and Ultima]

Perfection is impossible. In fact, I would've been an incel if I didn't believe otherwise. I'm not that attractive, but I am intelligent. My partner is slightly immature, but she is attractive. The conclusion? Humans can never be perfect. Plus, Instagram is just a hangout place for people good at photoshop trying to catfish people.

[Brightlake]

Instagram is already a social phenomenon itself, People tend to see what are pleasurable to them and want to be acknowledged by their peers. Before information cannot be circulated that fast but in recent years we deal with to much information every day. Instead of defying it, we must prepare ourselves and our next generation how to use and utilize social media in a constructive way.

We must have a strong view in ourselves that everybody has equal potential to succeed and achieve their ideal life purposes. Life itself is not always a fulfillment of what we want since everything is interdependent. Pretty & rich may be beneficial to help you to rich your goal but it doesn't mean that you must be pretty & rich to succeed. Also rich and pretty itself is relative depending on the perspective and background of the audience.

In the other hand, social media generally, had opened an opportunity for many SME (small microenterprise) or even creative industry to be recognized by a greater audience and broaden their market. Rural area with potencies like tourism also could attract more costumer and investor to develop the area. Therefore what really matters is how to see an opportunity while you are facing a phenomenon.