If you use Instagram regularly, you are probably familiar with the scenario. Someone has traveled to a scenic place, let’s say Rome. They want to show their followers all the beautiful sights in the eternal city – The Vatican, The Spanish Steps, The Colosseum.
But do they, really?
Usually traveling together with a long-suffering friend (who is mostly there to be a personal photographer), they faithfully tour the well-trodden path, looking not for historical and cultural inspiration but something far more important: a photo opportunity.
They are feeling cute today!
First stop – The Colosseum. Carefully positioned to ensure that other people cannot be seen in the picture (it’s important to give the impression that this well-known tourist trap was just ‘discovered’ by the influencer), instructions are barked out to the ‘friend’ with a scowl. “Take it from a lower angle, my legs look longer that way!”
Then, in an instant, the sudden transformation to pose – sultry eyes, lips protruding, butt out. Cheese!
And so this ancient and atmospheric amphitheater – once used for savage gladiatorial contests at the height of the Roman Empire – is relegated to background fodder; a mere prop used to amplify yet another inane, formulaic photo of a yawningly uninteresting person.
A quick glance of many an ‘influencer’ account shows a similar pattern – most of the photos are just elaborate excuses to show off a pert butt, or a cute smile.
Enter Russian artist Anton Gudim, a master of satirical comics that highlight absurdity and dark humor wherever he sees it. Instagram is a rich source of ridiculousness, so it is natural that he would turn his gaze here to make fun of something that we have accepted as normal.
“It’s based on my own experience, I’ve seen millions of photos like this on Instagram,” Anton told Bored Panda. “It’s not my intention to provide social commentary on the shallow and narcissistic habits of the modern world, that’s for the reader to decide with their own interpretation.”
“My comics are just a way to discover the depths of my imagination,” he continued. “I’m glad that they can inspire and entertain other people. I am not out to make people laugh, but I do believe that it’s important for artists to add a little humor into their works.”
What do you think? Is there some truth in these sarcastic portraits of narcissism? Why do some people feel the need to constantly flaunt their butts online? Is it driven by self-confidence… or insecurity? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Here’s what people had to say about the satirical comics
Image credits: ImerM1
Image credits: RiqueOWL
Image credits: DmtGallardo
Image credits: _andi_rizal_
Image credits: Biscoito
Image credits: Mandy_Kerr
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Image credits: h_o_ll_o_w
I am really sick of looking women posing seductively in every single page I open, not just Instagram (deleted account long time ago). Is that all we are for? To be just decorations, to be worth and appreciated based on how sexy we are? Then society is shocked because young girls have eating disorders and women over 30 are having botox and multiple estetic surgeries. We should be more that just "booties" and legs, and sensual looks.
Yes you all should be more than that. Unfortunately, when you have people like the Kardashian's being considered as icons, it's difficult to get past that. For every Me Too movement and LGBTQIA march, there's 1,000 women trying to be more like the Kardashian's.
The kardashians are a bunch of twits who think they are the most important people in the whole wide world . It is really sad that so many people follow them so intently rather then focusing on themselves and their own journey in life
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And 10,000 men judging and bitching about them.
While I appreciate the female form, these self absorbed photos of people who think they are professional models, always using the same poses, has gotten more than tedious. They do not care about the places they visit as incredible scenery and such except to take that photo (this applies to men, as well.) I read that national parks have too many visitors as of late for the rangers to monitor and safeguard, because theyre going there to take their clothes off for a picture.
they do not care about anything they are "showing" just to show themselves. And they are popular which is bad influence (see the pun!). I like professional models, they indeed know how to pose and look amazing. It's their job. That is completely different than this. and it's getting tiresome.
Completely agree with you, Biljana.
@Biljana I feel your pain. I use Instagram for travel writing and photography, and follow a number of travel photographers and journalists. Yet, no matter what I do, Instagram’s bizarre algorithms keep on showing me photos of female “influencers” voguing vapidly in front of some historic landmark or posing with duck lips in the airport. I feel like an old curmudgeon saying this (even though I am relatively young), but this Instagram influencer crap 💩 really needs to come to an end.
preach!!
" We should be more that just "booties" and legs, and sensual looks." well, its not like someone forced those instagram girls to do it. they did the choice, by their own volition. Looks like they just have nothing else to show, except body parts... :P
Come to the weird meme pages - it's safe here
Love the weird meme pages!!!!
That just says a lot about those kind of woman/girls... shallow, self centered and egotistical bitches! And that’s why I don’t do instagram - I have an acct bc of a fellow Graphic Designer Friend of mine, but I never use it and haven’t posted anything on it for over 5 years. I’m happy with that and I love my life (w/o instagram)!!! ❤️❤️❤️
sorry to say so and bring it upfront but, sadly, when I am just taking an "observation" (not women restrictively) exterior matters a lot. I am not into unnatural stuff tho or the overdone makeup - best no makeup. And I am one who is called shy (I am not - just silent), smart (this is true neither😅 - just very curious) and stupid because of my perseverance and uncommon mind. There is a lot to appreciate despite butts, silicon and buttocks but if extremely sharp secondary sex characteristics are watched intentionally, that's what you get as a worshipped when lazy commoners get used because it was most often to be seen as right.
"Astronomy to asstronomy" Loved that one. It's all about the narcissism.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
This comment has been deleted.
Well, in the end it is an image of our society. People are judged by their looks and not by their actions. You can be good at your job, can do good besides work, and still someone that looks like a model, but doing nothing, can get all the recognition. This haven't been any different the last 20, 30, maybe 40 years, maybe ever, and seeing what is happening on Instagram and others, is just continuation of what is happening in "real" life. People choose to follow "influencers" just because they are looking good and visit nice places. And they think that this is normal, despite the fact, that most of it is fake, a lie and photoshoped. Instagram got so famous, because people are able to self-stage and to polish their egos. This is how it works. Not for everyone but in most cases. Not sure if anything can be done about it, as people clearly do not want it any different. Women (some) (and men as well) want to be objectified and others want those "objects."
I am really sick of looking women posing seductively in every single page I open, not just Instagram (deleted account long time ago). Is that all we are for? To be just decorations, to be worth and appreciated based on how sexy we are? Then society is shocked because young girls have eating disorders and women over 30 are having botox and multiple estetic surgeries. We should be more that just "booties" and legs, and sensual looks.
Yes you all should be more than that. Unfortunately, when you have people like the Kardashian's being considered as icons, it's difficult to get past that. For every Me Too movement and LGBTQIA march, there's 1,000 women trying to be more like the Kardashian's.
The kardashians are a bunch of twits who think they are the most important people in the whole wide world . It is really sad that so many people follow them so intently rather then focusing on themselves and their own journey in life
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
And 10,000 men judging and bitching about them.
While I appreciate the female form, these self absorbed photos of people who think they are professional models, always using the same poses, has gotten more than tedious. They do not care about the places they visit as incredible scenery and such except to take that photo (this applies to men, as well.) I read that national parks have too many visitors as of late for the rangers to monitor and safeguard, because theyre going there to take their clothes off for a picture.
they do not care about anything they are "showing" just to show themselves. And they are popular which is bad influence (see the pun!). I like professional models, they indeed know how to pose and look amazing. It's their job. That is completely different than this. and it's getting tiresome.
Completely agree with you, Biljana.
@Biljana I feel your pain. I use Instagram for travel writing and photography, and follow a number of travel photographers and journalists. Yet, no matter what I do, Instagram’s bizarre algorithms keep on showing me photos of female “influencers” voguing vapidly in front of some historic landmark or posing with duck lips in the airport. I feel like an old curmudgeon saying this (even though I am relatively young), but this Instagram influencer crap 💩 really needs to come to an end.
preach!!
" We should be more that just "booties" and legs, and sensual looks." well, its not like someone forced those instagram girls to do it. they did the choice, by their own volition. Looks like they just have nothing else to show, except body parts... :P
Come to the weird meme pages - it's safe here
Love the weird meme pages!!!!
That just says a lot about those kind of woman/girls... shallow, self centered and egotistical bitches! And that’s why I don’t do instagram - I have an acct bc of a fellow Graphic Designer Friend of mine, but I never use it and haven’t posted anything on it for over 5 years. I’m happy with that and I love my life (w/o instagram)!!! ❤️❤️❤️
sorry to say so and bring it upfront but, sadly, when I am just taking an "observation" (not women restrictively) exterior matters a lot. I am not into unnatural stuff tho or the overdone makeup - best no makeup. And I am one who is called shy (I am not - just silent), smart (this is true neither😅 - just very curious) and stupid because of my perseverance and uncommon mind. There is a lot to appreciate despite butts, silicon and buttocks but if extremely sharp secondary sex characteristics are watched intentionally, that's what you get as a worshipped when lazy commoners get used because it was most often to be seen as right.
"Astronomy to asstronomy" Loved that one. It's all about the narcissism.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
This comment has been deleted.
Well, in the end it is an image of our society. People are judged by their looks and not by their actions. You can be good at your job, can do good besides work, and still someone that looks like a model, but doing nothing, can get all the recognition. This haven't been any different the last 20, 30, maybe 40 years, maybe ever, and seeing what is happening on Instagram and others, is just continuation of what is happening in "real" life. People choose to follow "influencers" just because they are looking good and visit nice places. And they think that this is normal, despite the fact, that most of it is fake, a lie and photoshoped. Instagram got so famous, because people are able to self-stage and to polish their egos. This is how it works. Not for everyone but in most cases. Not sure if anything can be done about it, as people clearly do not want it any different. Women (some) (and men as well) want to be objectified and others want those "objects."