Eighteen-year-old Instagram star Essena O'Neill has joined the movement to quit social media for good. The business of social media had taken a huge toll on the life of this young model, both physically, emotionally and mentally. Her goal in removing this form of communication out of her life is to remind herself and others that social media is NOT real. The perception of the "perfect lives" we attempt to convey are not real. They are NOT real.
After deciding she did not want to uphold a life which revolved around social media, O'Neill went back and adjusted the captions on her past Instagram pictures. These captions were altered to reveal the truth behind the photos, as she satirically explained what was really happening while attempting to get the perfect shot. Editing the pictures through several apps, finding just the right lighting and angles, diminishing imperfections. All of this ultimately taking away from what is real.
The obsession with the idea that we must portray perfect lives through our pictures has gone far enough. We manipulate and contour our bodies for the validation of others, believing that the amount of likes we get determines our value. This perception of "who we are" must not be glamorized any longer.
This video portrays the truth and what is real, reminding us all that we are more than a number. So let this serve as a reminder: you are more than your follow-to-follow ratio and you are more than the "life you live" in the realm of social media.
