By Paul Lambis
As the sun continued to beam on her face, reflecting against her golden-tanned body, I observed a tourist from across the hotel swimming pool raising her phone, tilting her camera down, adjusting her hair, bikini and sunglasses, pouting her lips, and in an instant capturing a stunning selfie, assumedly in pursuit of clicks, likes and follow on Instagram.
I completely understand the urge to present the best possible version of yourself to the world when using social media, especially when you are on an exotic vacation, looking and feeling great, sipping a tropical cocktail while dipping your toes into a crystal-clear swimming pool as the Mediterranean glistens in the distance.
However, some individuals go well beyond the call of reason, distorting reality to the point where their followers are left with unrealistic aspirations. Refusing to share the mundane banalities of everyday life – after all, no one really cares about your ‘exemplary’ cooking skills or the latest edge-of-your-seat thriller on Netflix – you proceed to filter and photoshop your snapshot until your teeth are brighter than your future, body is hotter than the background that now appears to be completely distorted, and you follow a new avatar trend that makes you look like an alien, thinking you will be the envy of others on social media.
Whether you like it or not, Instagram influencers are very real and have a profound impact on impressionable young minds. As people strive to achieve unrealistic bodies and lifestyles, this has a negative impact on mental health and low self-esteem.
Why are people so fixated with Instagram when it appears so fake, self-obsessed, and egotistical? Undoubtedly, we live in a very competitive world where we often equate our value in comparison to other fictitious lives. However, what we frequently observe on social media is people who either depict themselves as incredibly happy or as completely miserable and are looking for compassion from others.
As the tourist posed at the swimming pool, satisfied with the overall outcome of her 45-minute, self-styled photoshoot, she was devoted so much time and effort to it that it rendered other important events happening around her, such as another tourist’s uncontrollable coughing fit due to a severe nut allergy, and a marriage proposal that included a loud, off-key mariachi band dressed in traditional Cypriot attire as non-existent.
People become ensnared in the cruel world where they impatiently and desperately wait for likes and comments. They take a lot of time to imagine the order of the next selfie opportunity and how to capture the ideal pose.
I would not describe myself as a social media addict. I admit that I use social media to remind myself of birthdays and other important dates, as well as to promote my work and the stunning island of Cyprus, which I am happy to call home. However, Instagram is one of my favourite social media sites since it enables me to look at the images of other users for inspiration and, more importantly, it magically turns my photos into visual works of art.
In the global race for social media stardom, a subculture of people has evolved in recent years that actively seeks out life-threatening circumstances. The art of risking their lives to post heart-pounding photos and videos of dangerous stunts such as posing on tall buildings or high cliffs, interacting with wild animals, extreme eating, and reckless behaviour close to all modes of transportation was developed by this new generation of Instagrammers, YouTubers and users of other social networks.
Back in the real world, I ordered a virgin mojito from the pool bar and tried to take a self-portrait for Instagram to show my trip to a five-star resort in Ayia Napa to my followers. Perhaps I should have rethought my planning strategy, but I was so eager to keep up with the Gen Zs that I sunk heavily into a beanbag chair and needed help from the pool attendant and bartender to get myself off the ground.
After being hit in the face with reality, I made the decision to embrace the most out of my short getaway by taking in my surroundings, eating well, finding a balance between social media and reading, and comparing myself to the person I see in the mirror. That was the perfect Instagram post, inspiring me to become the best version of myself.
