The Pressure behind the filter

In today's social media, more and more people care about their appearance, and the anxiety about appearance has spread. With the powerful power of communication and influence, social media has changed people's perception of "beauty" and constantly reinforced an illusory and perfect standard of appearance. Now, let's talk about the aspects of social media influence.

• Pressure to like and comment: There exist interactive mechanisms on social media, such as likes, comments, and sharing, which reinforce appearance anxiety. Most of them use the yardstick of the number of likes and the quality of comments as a yardstick for the value of their appearance and yearn to be recognized by others. Once you are not able to get the expected feedback, feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem will be inevitable, and then you will fall into the self-denial cycle.

  

• Social comparison: Social media creates many opportunities for individuals to make appearance comparisons, and at any moment in time, users can look at other people's beautiful photos and unconsciously compare them with their own appearance. No matter whether it's body shape, skin color, or even clothes, social media "comparison" is everywhere. It's just this kind of comparison that often could make an individual more dissatisfied with one's appearance and feel anxious.

  
  

  

  
  

• Popularity of filters and image-tuning tools: All varieties of filters and image tuning software make it easy for users to clean up their image in social media and establish standards of "perfect" appearance. The reprocessed photos are all over the place, creating an unrealistic pursuit of "beauty." People can be easily dissatisfied with their appearance, are anxious about the appearance after seeing the "perfect image" in social media, and even try every means to pursue this false standard.

  
  

  

  
  

• "Perfect Life" displays:social media is packed with influencers and celebrities showcasing perfect lives and looks; from sensitive selfies in the gym to perfect skin after makeup, the concept that beauty is success has been fabricated. Often, people overlook the filters, makeup, and even plastic surgery present behind such images, thus creating a wrong perception of beauty in their minds. This makes the average user doubt themselves and feel anxious because of this unreal "perfection"; they always feel not good enough or beautiful enough.

  
  

  

Generally speaking, the emergence of social media has involuntarily exacerbated appearance anxiety and given people an impossible standard of beauty that has been driving so many into dissatisfaction with their appearance. At the face of the negative influence brought about by social media, people should learn to rationally look upon those "perfect images" and recognize the processing of retouch, filter, and deliberate creation. It is only based on acceptance of the real self that one is allowed to relax from anxiety about appearance and build up good perception of self and mind. Social media should be used as a means of expression of oneself, appreciation of diversity in beauty, rather than a magnifying glass in the sense of appearance anxiety.