30 Hilarious Examples Of Instagram Vs. Reality That Show The Truth Behind Photos (New Pics)

Show of hands—who here has edited their pictures before uploading them to social media? While I can’t actually see how many people there are, I believe that there must have been at least a few of us raising one of our limbs, even if unwillingly.

That’s because nowadays, it might seem difficult not to edit pictures, bearing in mind the content that’s floating around on the internet. Pictures of models are edited to perfection, even though they do not need to be at all. Pictures of regular people, who’ve worked hard on editing their photos, even though they, too, don’t need to. Images of unattainable beauty standards that seem everchanging—yet omnipresent—so you always have something to overthink regarding your looks or lifestyle. Not to mention, pictures of people’s “perfect” lives that are often only perfect on their social media accounts.

With such pressure, it’s no surprise that many people alter their reality—be it themselves or their environment—before uploading any photographs. But sometimes, they don’t realize when they’ve overdone it.

Talking about the reasons why some people edit their images before posting them on social media, Makana Chock, Professor of Communications at Syracuse University, told Bored Panda that people have a tendency to engage in selective self-presentation. “We choose those aspects of ourselves that we want to share with others. Usually, these tend to be the things that are our best features, or those that help us achieve some goal. This happens in face-to-face interactions but may be particularly evident in social media.

“Social media platforms such as Instagram are inherently visual,” Prof. Chock added. “And the technology allows us to, quite literally, show ourselves in the best light. We can highlight our best aspects and edit out the ones we think don’t flatter us.”

“Another thing to keep in mind is that social media is, well—social,” Prof. Chock continued. “Users are aware of the social norms of the site. Including the social pressure to polish their images and present carefully crafted windows into their lives.

“The difficulty with this is that people tend to engage in a process known as social comparison. Our satisfaction with ourselves, our bodies, our lives, is impacted by our comparisons to others. If we view ourselves as better or on par with comparative others, we’re satisfied. If not, we can become dissatisfied. This can be particularly problematic if our comparative other is unrealistically polished and enhanced.”