insta-truths

basics and a little chanelo // long weekend reads

missing her cuddles // tgif

hello lover // perfect

perfectly plaid // morning dappled light

coming home with me // the joys of a classic timepiece

weekend cravings // stripes at seed

carnations // happy deliveries

alexandra // rose gold everything

Honestly I am not a huge fan of Instagram roundups which is why they don’t make routine debuts on my blog. However my main reason for sharing some of my Instagram – @soniademacedo recents today is because I’ve drawn blank on posting ideas. And because I too wanted to share my insta-truths and feelings over the truthful revelations of a social media princess’ experience.

Personally I’ve seen this as an incredibly positive step in the right direction for social media as it’s seemingly opening the doors for more insta-truths to come out from hiding.

It is no secret that Instagram is a haven for the staged. And I’m not entirely sure if I’ve confessed this, but I’ll do it again, my Instagram account is essentially 90% staged. A smoke and mirrors, a contrived view of my own ideals of “perfection” when my life is anything but. I’ve also found myself refraining from posting, simply because I’ve been unable to acquire impeccable natural lighting to create those pretty #POTD flat-lays. I can’t seem to seize those immaculately flattering selfie’s or a straightforward #FWIS without photobombing flyaway strands of hair. And because of this I decide not to post at all. When in fact we should be embracing them, like we used to, even for a moments giggle or two. When did Instagram become so serious? Not just for professional and aspiring photographers wishing to showcase their work, but for all its users?

Some more insta-truths. Truthfully most of my snaps are latergrams; images I’ve retained for posting at ideal times. Sometimes weeks on end no less. And It’s sad to know I am not the only one and even more saddening to see Instagram morphing into this. It is not fun anymore. It’s becoming an arduous task with every passing day. And I think that is why I’ve gravitated more towards Twitter of late. There’s simply no fooling anyone there and one is still free to express themselves, proverbial warts and all.

I felt compelled to write and share this because there was an enormous amount of backlash against the insta-truths and those who’d spoken out and confirmed suspicions. And I couldn’t help but feel like it sounded like a case of “thou does protest too much” towards those objecting such revelations. I understand we all need to make a quid, and I’ll never condone that. I am guilty of selling out because I need to support myself too. My problem has always remained with the utter disregard for transparency. Not so much on the blog scene, but Instagram. You know a simple hashtag at the front of your caption never hurt anyone.

For the majority of my readers, this issue isn’t breaking news. In fact most of us have probably developed a well trained eye in deciphering the fake. I know I can tell when someone’s outfit has been a “care of” despite not mentioning so. However we need to remember that we’re not the only ones who use this platform. There are a lot younger users using this platform these days and I can’t help but feel like we’re creating an unrealistic expectation of adulthood. Which makes sharing our own insta-truths vital because I can’t imagine how hard the world must look to a twelve year old today. Especially a female. I find it trying myself and that was a time when anything sartorial related came direct from magazines and the internet took its sweet time connecting to a modem. I didn’t have perfectly toned bodies and plump lips constantly shoved down my unassuming eyes as a form of perfection. Nor did I have influencers flaunting an unlimited supply of Gucci while traveling the entire world three times a year.

I wish those in high places would cut the crap and quit defending these practices because it’s not about you, it’s about the vulnerable ones in your audience. Not just youngsters but other misinformed people feeling those FOMO anxieties too. We’re making it unnecessarily demanding whilst simultaneously setting the younger generation up for gross disappointment. Taking a flawless selfie is a rarity on the first go. And we aren’t born with perfectly tanned hot dog legs or thigh gaps. And you don’t reach a certain age and find yourself effortlessly dropping hard cash on Chloe and spending the majority of the year traveling abroad. Some do. But the reality for most is that such lifestyles are completely unattainable in the long-run. As much as I wish it would, life doesn’t play by those rules. We don’t highlight those moments we spend tirelessly behind a desk or cash register. Those struggles and hard-yards of work and saving pennies spent to make those pleasures a reality. And because of this I feel like we have a certain responsibility. We are after all the generation paving the unstable world of social media.

Follow