Fake Personas: Are You Who You Post?
There’s a weird thing going on within the World Wide Web right now, and it’s sort of disturbing. People have often discussed how music, television, and movies and influenced the behaviors and personalities of young people. However, has anyone noticed how young people are working hard to try to act, speak, and simply be like the people they see in memes and on Instagram. In a world where it may be difficult to simply navigate figuring out who you are and where you stand, it can become easy to not only be influenced, but start to mimic the people and images you see regularly online. However, if you are creating your personality based on social media influencers and memes that you see online, just stop; and here’s why.
Now, this isn’t Imposter Syndrome, which is a fear that you will be exposed as a fraud. This is simply people trying hard to create a persona that isn’t authentic in order to get likes, views, and shares; most of the time, they aren’t even doing it for money! For example, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with posting about twerking, right? However, are you posting this type of content because this is who you really are, or are you posting this because you’ve seen the attention other people receive, and you’re trying to get the same type of attention? Are you really the successful entrepreneur that you claim to be online, or are you posting because you’re trying to mimic the account of some social media influencer? Are you really bout that life, or are you just a gangsta on social media, but not particularly that way if someone were to approach you on the street in “real life”. Is the advice you give a reflection of the lifestyle you lead, or are you trying to give advice when you don’t really even have your own life together? Are you really who you POST?
Stop Trying to be Cardi, and Be YOU
Here’s a fun fact. People like Cardi B, who went from being an Instagram/Twitter sensation, to an actual mega star was able to become who she is by simply being her authentic self online. People like Charlemagne tha god took what he already had, a big personality, and stayed his authentic self; which led to them having successful careers. Even Supa Cent, who gathered an online following by being herself, telling personal stories, and gaining followers who had no problem spending much coin when she decided to launch her successful makeup company. The key here is that these people were AUTHENTIC. The fun fact is that authenticity and fake both show up through your social media posts; and people are smart enough to tell the difference.
That’s right, if you are not really being your true self – it shows; even if no one is telling you. You are not fooling anyone; you are simply and slowly playing yourself. No, no one is asking you to reveal every detail of your life online, but if what you’re sharing is not really you, but really a person you wish you were, eventually that persona is going to come crashing down. Which is why it pays to simply be yourself.
Be yourself. Of course it sounds cliche’, but in the madness of this social media era, it’s more important than ever to find your true voice and make sure that shines beyond anything else. You may not believe it, but once you start to develop your authentic voice, people will find you more trusting and more relatable. So please, ditch the fake persona – it’s not working.
Syllabus Magazine, the Carolina’s source for Music, Culture and Fashion
