Question

• What implications does the pressure of presenting an ideal self on social media have in terms of how people use introspection, self-observation, and other people’s reactions to know themselves?

Answer 1

The social media has become the principle platform where people judge their own lives as well as the lives of others. It is a major medium for social comparison and cross evaluations that often determines happiness and life satisfaction. Everyone focuses on exhibiting the ideal self on their profiles which is often not an honest picture of their lives. When people try to project how prosperous, successful and happy they are in their professional and personal lives, it sets false benchmarks for social comparisons and relative deprivation. It forces others to portray their lives in a fancy way and on the other side, makes many feel bad about the state and status of their lives. It can have huge impact on one's perception about family, partner, profession and achievements in life and can reduce self esteem and confidence in ones abilities. It sets unrealistic standards of beauty, gender roles and life goals. Celebrities and influential personalities plays major role in setting standards and trends in social media.