Make Instagram Casual

When Instagram was first introduced, it was different from all of the other social media that people had seen before. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, Instagram was all pictures. Instagram was created in 2010, and the majority of the posts that were made were pictures of food, dogs, and really anything else. People posted whatever they wanted from random selfies to memes they thought were funny. It was a fun way to see what your friends were doing and connect with people you hadn’t seen in a while. You could post about whatever you wanted, whether it be what movies you liked or a new album that was just realized, and you were able to decorate with cool filters and effects to change the looks of pictures.

Instagram slowly started to change after that. Influencers emerged and started to use Instagram as a marketing tool more than a social interaction. Posts became calculated to make Instagram users want the lifestyle they saw influencers living. Beauty brands like FitTea and Sugar Bear Hair started to pay celebrities on the app to promote their products. Instagram’s fun picture sharing structure became a way to sell a lifestyle to people, especially the younger generation. The Kardashians and other celebrities started to do brand deals that would get them and the company money, but it also exploited the young minds of the people on the app. It showed users a life that was not realistic and took advantage of users’ desperate desires to fit in. Instagram had shifted from a fun place to see what your friends were doing, to a place where people were expected to lead a certain lifestyle to fit in. 

In addition to people doing brand deals, the trend of using themes was introduced. This shift towards using the same filters or style of photography for each of your posts took over. Sticking to a theme would not only make your account aesthetically pleasing, but it would also gain you more followers and popularity. Similar to companies that use branding, people started to brand themselves and their lives. People put up facades in order to market to other people and attract companies and followers. Young people on the app started to mirror that by posting similar content to try and fit in. Wanting validation and comments and likes seemed more necessary than ever. It is considered normal to text, “Like my recent!” to all your friends when you post in order to make sure that you don’t seem silly. Young people have always relied on validation. Wanting to fit in and be accepted has always been a part of growing up, but there is more of an incentive to show your “life” with social media. Everyone wanted to be like these influencers so badly, and they were disappointed when they couldn’t live up to them or, in some cases, discovered that the identity of the influencers were completely fabricated. 

As a result,  #MakeInstagramCasualAgain emerged.  This is a recent movement on Instagram to try and bring the app back to its roots of being a relaxed and friendly environment. While the hashtag and movement were introduced in 2018, it really went into effect in 2020. When people were forced to stay in their homes, it became more difficult to sell a lavish lifestyle. There was no more posing in front of private jets on the way to a beach vacation. The idea of making Instagram casual again includes a collection of random pictures called “photo dumps.” This is a way for people to post pictures in their camera roll that didn’t fit the aesthetic of the rest of their account. What started with teenagers slowly became more widespread with celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Bella Hadid. This was a chance for Instagram users to show a more authentic version of who they are behind the screen. 

But there are downsides to this system as well. It was good that people finally let go of the aesthetic in their accounts, but it became hard to post a picture of yourself that was pretty and you liked. Because the tone of Instagram has shifted again, people feel the need to post a joke picture or a stupid caption along with a good picture of themselves in order to prove that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Posting a meme at the end of a series of selfies was used to post about yourself still, but indirectly. You can include pictures where you look good, but you have to include a funny picture or a joke in order to counteract that and not seem self obsessed. In an attempt to make Instagram a casual place for sharing again, the movement actually might have made it harder for people. Now that people just post pictures from their lives, there is more pressure to lead an aesthetically pleasing lifestyle. As much as you did before, you still have to contemplate and scheme the “random” photos that you are posting. You find yourself making sure the order is right and making sure there is a balance of flattering photos and pictures that are ironic. 

While I believe that the casual Instagram movement is a good one to finally break down walls of influencer culture, there is no way to abolish judgment and expectations on social media. This is a new experience for everyone, and people are still trying to navigate how they want to present themselves online. It’s stressful knowing that there are hundreds of people who view, like and judge the content that you post. I think it is important to remember that you can post whatever you want. When scrolling, be aware that Instagram doesn’t necessarily reflect real life. Whether it’s a photoshoot on the beach in a bathing suit or pictures of someone in an aisle at the grocery store, everything on social media is altered in some way to avoid that judgment and attract that validation.