What happened to being real on Instagram?

The invasion of Instagram in our lives is revolutionary, yeah that is the word that kinda sums it up. I'm such a BIG FAN of Instagram and I honestly think it's one of the best or possibly the best social media platforms created thus far. It's fun and hassle-free. They say a picture paints a thousand words, right? 

There are so many "genres" of photos and Instagrammers on Instagram. The food and pastry pictures, the artsy architecture pictures, the fashionista outfit pictures, the selfies blah blah the list goes on. Some people get famous through their plethora of nice shots, and some... just by having an interesting/extravagant lifestyle (think Kim Kardashian). On the other hand, some people just live by Instagram like a photo diary or an alternate source of platform to make new friends or to stalk your new crush. Bye Facebook.

IT'S FUN, IT REALLY IS. Hahahaha I love it la I won't deny.

As a blogger (I'm ashamed to call myself one cos my blog's been quite a bore hehe), Instagram is sort of like my rice bowl. I am somewhat obliged to keep my Instagram account interesting, pretty, or whatever my followers and potential clients would be more inclined to like. When I first started my Instagram account, I did it purely out of curiosity and fun. I just wanted to post pictures of what's going on in my life and whatever I deemed would make a nice picture. And what I mean by a nice picture is one in my own personal opinion, not what I think the general public would like. I had less than 500 followers and my likes were like 30 per picture? But I was happy cos these 30 likers probably genuinely liked/appreciated my picture or felt happy for me on what went on in the picture. 

Numbers didn't matter one single bit. Let me show you what my old pictures on Instagram looked like.

And this is the first picture I posted on Instagram

Yup just flowers...with no likes hahah. But who cares? At least I got that captured and when I look at it, I remember who got me the flowers and why. 

THE LIKES GAME

I still post "anyhow" pictures here and there now but just not as often as before cos I am "obligated" to keep my Instagram pretty and cater to the mass crowd remember? The problem nowadays is that people often get too caught up in this "likes/followers" game and only post pictures which they think can garner a good amount of likes. Me included, unfortunately. And it only hit me recently, why am I letting Instagram define who I am and what I like. Trust me, I know very well what kinda pictures can get me high number of likes and what can't. But I don't want to post a picture solely because Im gonna get a lot of likes, or not post a picture that I like just cos the likes would be low.

Why should I bother posting pictures that only you or everyone else like when no one bothers what I actually like in real life? And why would people snap oh so perfect couples having picnic by the tree and doing a night dance kinda pictures when LIFE really isn't like that at all? That's my IG pet peeve, couples posing a PERFECT, quarrel-free, fairy-tale life just for pictures/Instagram. Get over it, and let's get real. Kudos to you if you're happy in your relationship. I would be happy for you if I knew you and about your sweet love story , but honestly happiness speaks for itself. There's no need to perpetually paint a perfect relationship through a series of posed pictures. I'm sure there's a certain type of "genre" y'all like or dislike so don't hate on mine (: 

And then there are those who takes a ton of drool-worthy food pictures but don't even eat them. No really, that's just too much. Buying macarons or rainbow cake just to take photos and then passing the calories to your friend afterwards. Oh, another one that I can think of are those who dress up to the nines for an OOTD shot but immediately strips down to slacks after the supposed outfit of the day shot. What irony?

And why do people do that? Simply cos they want more likes for that picture. 

I admit that sometimes I get too tangled up in the likes game as well. Sometimes I want to post a picture of my friend, or a picture of a majestic-looking building or just a book I enjoy reading but I know it'll probably get damn little likes for it and decide to pass on it. I've somewhat woken up and I'm not gonna bother as much anymore. I just want to post pictures I like and want on Instagram simply cos I started it to document bits and pieces of my life for my own purpose and for people who would genuinely appreciate what I like, not just for the mass crowd or the clients. It's also definitely not for me to do blogshop advertorials (which I rarely do on IG in the first place) cos I don't really like to flood my IG with blogshop advertorials. Besides, I feature or endorse products that I really like or believe in even if I'm not paid to do so. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna take selfies to irritate you hahahah, and ootd shots (because I do enjoy dressing up and taking pictures). I'm just saying I'll post whatever I like in whichever way I like. It shouldn't matter much if I get 100 likes or 1000 likes, cos I like it and that's what matters most.

I do hope my Instagram feed would be filled with real stuff too, cos I appreciate the lives and pictures of those whom I follow, not the pre-planned and pre-painted kinda life.

Just sharing my 2 cents' worth on my take on the Instagram society. Hope you enjoyed reading my real thoughts (: you can lemme know on my IG if you did!

Ps. This post is not directed specifically at anyone. Just my general opinion which you can choose to chuck aside of course (:

Till then!  

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Selling my vintage Chanel bucket sling bag!
Condition : 8/10
Fit A4
Selling price : $1.9K, nego for fast deals.
Email me if interested or need more pics
sophia.chong@hotmail.com

XX

Sophia

Instagram and Twitter : @sophiachong