In the world of social media, where life goes through a camera multiple times a day, everybody gets a chance to reinvent themselves. Creating your global self is like a second chance. You get to throw out all the things about that you don`t like and present yourself in the best possible light. And what picture does the world see then? How truthful is it? What is the brand that you are creating and can you live up to the expectations?
The thin line
I have a friend that is very active on social media. Come to think of it, we all probably do. You know the type. She tags herself in all the right places with all the right people. Her family, the food, the shoes – everything looks just perfect. Every post, picture or comment is wisely planned. I once heard her say: “I really don`t wont to go to this event, I despise it. But it will look so good on Facebook”. That really made me think. What kind of a world is that? Do your daily activities get to be planned upon how it will look on Instagram? Where is the soft thin line between trying to present your self in a good light and being deceptive?
Make sure you know what you are selling
I guess there is nothing wrong in trying to present yourself in the best way. The Global me has to look it`s best. “Selling yourself” is a planned process. You pack it up nicely, tidy up, put the right picture and embellish the facts. Just make sure it is true. At least to some extent. Because the real world will come and get you eventually. And there is no filter for that.
I loved your point about ensuring we are honest with how we present ourselves online! My friend and I were just talking about “aesthetics” on Instagram and how some people schedule photos/videos to post ages in advance. I think something like ‘Planoly’ which is an app for “developing one’s Instagram feed” is a neat invention, but especially as journalists, we need to think hard when using these tools.