In November, I published a podcast episode about the gap between our authentic and virtual selves called “‘Getting Real’ on Instagram.” I didn’t expect that episode to become so relevant. But in light of our absent face-to-face social lives, I have noticed a drastic shift in how my peers present themselves on social media. We post pictures and captions that seep with emotion. Our prerogative is connection, and our medium is honesty. Thus, the gap between our sweat pant-wearing unfiltered personhood and our chic three-panel Instagram accounts is closing, and with it, our anxiety dissipates—at least, as much as it can when the world is on fire.
Instagram and Facebook, quite frankly, have kept me sane. I can reminisce on freer days, when I took touch and group gatherings for granted, and I can uplift my peers with live performances, short stories, and stage play excerpts on my stories or Zoom.
The allure of a colour theme is fading and a brighter feed is coming into focus in its place. One where we sing and dance for each other and reflect on what really matters: family dinners, twiddling our thumbs on the keys of a new instrument, novels that invite us into the unchartered waters of our own imagination; laughter, gratitude, love… the messiness and disorganization of a life lived truly, honestly and deeply.
When the smoke clears, may we all remember how good it felt to connect with each other in this way. Because it does feel good to connect, doesn’t it?