Ah, Instagram, you infinite showcase of vanities, where every salad becomes a masterpiece of haute cuisine and every humble backyard corner the ultimate travel destination. Welcome to the fairytale land of self-proclaimed influencers, where anyone with a camera and a plane ticket can crown themselves an ambassador for the remotest corners of the earth. Here, in this parallel universe, the light is always perfect, the skin is flawless and every breakfast deserves at least 100 likes. Who needs authentic experiences when you can stage them perfectly? Why enjoy the moment when you can filter it for eternity? Instagram has taught us that the value of an event is directly proportional to the number of hearts under the photo.
The art of over-filtering: where reality meets fantasy
Have you ever wondered how influencers manage to be in places that look like they've come straight out of a storybook? A carefully applied filter here, a bit of post-processing there, and voilà - the gray water becomes azure blue, the crowds disappear as if by magic, and the skin becomes so flawless that even Greek gods would be jealous. In this world, it's not reality that counts, but perfect staging.
Selfie or non-selfie: that is the question here
In the dazzling arena of Instagram, where likes and followers are the currency of choice, the selfie becomes the ultimate weapon. Our brave influencers face the perils of the most exotic locations - from remote beach coves to mountain peaks - to capture the perfect selfie. They might be enjoying the moment, exploring the culture, even sampling the local cuisine. But why bother with such banalities when you can boost your follower count instead?
The message behind the picture
What is the message these brave souls want to convey to us? Perhaps that true happiness is just a filter away, or that the beauty of a place can only be truly appreciated through the lens of a smartphone. For them, the world becomes a playground for aesthetic experimentation, where authenticity is traded for recognition. They create a reality in which it is not about experiencing the moment, but about capturing it in its most beautiful version for others. In this world, how you present the moment is more important than how it really was.
The hunt for the perfect picture: life for the lens
In search of the ideal location, our influencers roam exotic countries and traverse deserted cities, always with the aim of taking the perfect photo. A photo that captures the essence of their entire existence on Instagram. But the perfect shot requires more than a good eye for composition; it requires a staging as carefully planned as a moon landing. In this world, a failed photo means the difference between virality and oblivion.
But the more they stage the perfect world, the more they alienate themselves from the imperfect reality around them. They live for the lens, through the lens and in the lens - trapped in a digital cage that they themselves have created.
The lost art of experience: tourist attractions as a backdrop
In the perfectly staged world of Instagram influencers, exotic locations and cultural wonders are transformed into backdrops for the next viral photo. The true essence of travel - culture, people, history - fades behind the obsession with curating a feed that evokes envy and admiration. The Mona Lisa? A background for a selfie. The pyramids of Giza? An epic pose. These places, rich in history and meaning, are reduced to their aesthetics, judged not on their cultural value but on their potential to generate engagement.
The lost experience
In their relentless pursuit of the perfect post, influencers are losing the ability to truly experience and appreciate the moment. Instead of looking at the beauty of a sunset with open eyes, they see it through a screen. Instead of feeling the stillness of an ancient temple, they think about which filter will best show off the stone carvings. The world is experienced through the screen, while the real experience of an adventure becomes a distant memory.
Cheers to our filter kings and queens
Let's raise a toast to the self-proclaimed influencers who work tirelessly to blur the lines between reality and fiction. May their filters always be strong and their follower numbers high. What counts in their world is not what they actually experience, but how well they can sell it. Because ultimately, they are showing us a lesson, even if it is unintentional: In the shiny world of Instagram, it's not about really living, but about presenting life as a perfect illusion - an illusion that makes them and their followers forget to some extent how beautiful real life can be.
