Anyone with an Instagram account is guilty of staging and creating an augmented projection of their reality. We've all taken the time to arrange our food to get that artsy foodie flair, of posing for pictures at parties, for taking a dozen "candid" photos somewhere beautiful, and, of course, spending agonizing spans of time just trying to pick the perfect filter. We all do it, we're all complicit in this rearranging of our own history, of our perpetuation of unobtainable goals.
Not that I'm condemning social media. Let this be known: I love social media. I take great pride in crafting the perfect caption, and seeing a picture I take become someone's profile picture is something I take more joy in that I would like to admit. Social media serves many purposes of connectivity, of enhancing shared experiences, of creating a new layer to interpersonal interaction.
But what gets lost in the streams of ornately oriented squares and filtered highlighted features of life?
The #HalfTheStory movement was founded by fashion and lifestyle blogger, Larz, who wanted to remind people that there are two halves of every story, of every person. There is the side we show the world, the one that is of the intricately placed and posed and poised perfection, your presenting self, and then the one that shows the sweat running off you as you sprint to catch your bus because your train was delayed and you haven't eaten in 10 hours and you're probably about to throw up because, despite your #fitsporation posts, you haven't been to the gym in weeks. The other half of your story.
Again, this is not to say that social media is terrible, or that the artistic curation of images is detrimental to society, but it's something to remember, to reflect on when looking at others images, as well as your own.
In an email interview, Larz said, "Fashion is what fuels me. I've been able to travel all around the world working with bloggers, photographers, designers, and creatives in every industry. It's been amazing to inspire others through my work, but at this point it's time to create a platform for other people's art, thoughts, and inspiration. The way I look at it is that If I were to die tomorrow, half the story is what I would want to leave today. There's nothing better than knowing you have made a difference in someone's life."
Other bloggers have taken up the project as well, reminding their followers that, while they do have this glamorous lifestyle of adventure and flair, there is still more to them. There's still a real person there, riding the struggle bus along with you.
To join the movement and to share your #halfthestory, check out the #halfthestory tag on Instagram or their website.
