Fakeness in Society: A Growing Concern

In recent years, there has been increasing concern over the prevalence of fakeness and inauthenticity in society. From filtered photos on social media to curated personal brands, many argue that we are living in a culture of deception and false presentation. This fakeness takes many forms and has impacted various aspects of society.

One major area is social media. The rise of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook has made image crafting easier than ever. With filters and editing tools, people can present polished, perfected versions of themselves online. The prevalent use of filters and editing to enhance photos has been criticized as promoting unrealistic beauty ideals. Influencers also carefully curate what they share to present a certain lifestyle or image. This sets up impossible standards for their followers.

Beyond photos, people shape their online personalities by sharing highlight reels rather than authentic moments. On platforms like Twitter and Facebook, there is pressure to share opinions, commentary, and witty banter. This promotes performative communication tailored to garner likes and shares rather than sincere self-expression. Even the practice of collecting friends and followers has been labeled inauthentic since it turns relationships into metrics and data points.

The branding of individuals has also contributed to this culture of fakeness. People are increasingly viewing themselves through the lens of personal branding, promoting themselves like a brand or product. This leads to calculating what to share and how to present yourself to appeal to your target audience. however, when people focus too much on crafting a brand, they risk losing touch with their true selves.

Beyond individuals, companies and organizations have also joined in curating their brands. Companies put out polished mission statements with “values” designed to appeal to consumers rather than reflecting their actual principles and practices. Even non-profit organizations carefully craft their images to connect with donors and supporters. This kind of branding turns organizations into advertisements rather than authentic entities.

In interpersonal relationships, experts point to a decline in authenticity as well. People report feeling unable to express their real feelings and opinions with friends out of fear of being judged. Instead, conversations stick to light, performative topics where people feel they will be validated. Even as social media connects people, it reduces vulnerable sharing. The friendships portrayed on platforms like Instagram are often more performative than real.

Romantic relationships are impacted as well, with dating app culture encouraging people to view themselves as commodities to be marketed. Dating profiles are carefully curated like advertisements, showcasing people at their best. Even in established relationships, some struggle to open up out of fear of not living up to their partner’s expectations. Communication suffers when people feel unable to express their real thoughts and feelings.

Beyond interpersonal relationships, the spread of fakeness impacts societal trust. In a climate of deception, people struggle to discern what is authentic. This makes it difficult to place confidence in individuals, organizations, and institutions. Experts note this could have serious implications for democracy if citizens feel unable to distinguish truth from manipulation.

So what has driven this shift towards fakeness in society? Some point to the influence of mass media over time. The proliferation of TV, movies and advertising introduced carefully produced illusions designed to sell products and lifestyles. Social media accelerated the trend with its filters and curation. Some also point to competitive, consumerist cultural values that place success, status and appearance above authentic living.

Of course, fakeness and deception are not new to human society. People have always crafted public personas and pretended to fit in. However, many argue that modern technology and cultural values have made the scale and scope of fakeness unprecedented. This had led to a loss of depth, meaning and connection in relationships and society overall.

While this trend is concerning, there are things individuals can do to push back. People can strive for more authenticity and vulnerability in their relationships. Turning off filters and taking social media breaks can help reset distorted perspectives. Seeking out genuine connections and rewarding sincerity over deception in politics and business is also important. Ultimately, achieving systemic change will require reshaping the cultural values that feed fakeness. But individuals can start by focusing less on images and more on substance in their own lives.