Member-only story
The Things We Don’t Post
Social Media and the Art of Hiding
Honestly, if Instagram were an art gallery, it would be one filled with glossy vacation portraits, immaculate kitchen counters, and 45-degree-angled selfies that required a minimum of 27 takes. There’d be a whole other wing — dark, cluttered, behind a “Staff Only” door — housing our real lives. The one where your breakfast is burnt, your skin is throwing a tantrum, and your confidence is quietly curled up in a blanket binge-watching cat videos.
Welcome to the great illusion of our time: curated perfection, with a touch of digital magic and a generous splash of denial.
The Digital Illusion: Where Perfection Reigns Supreme
Once upon a time (read: pre-Instagram), we existed without documenting every coffee cup and motivational sunrise. Back then, your morning routine didn’t need aesthetic validation. Fast forward to now, and suddenly, if it isn’t posted with a sepia filter and a deep quote by Rumi, did you even drink that oat milk latte?
We post the highlights. The promotions, the beach trips, the flowers (that we bought for ourselves, but no one needs to know that). What do we conveniently leave out? The mental breakdown five minutes before the selfie, the financial panic hiding behind that shopping spree, or the fact that we’re Googling “What is my purpose?” at 2:17…
