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Self-Expression: Are You Being Real Online

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01 Mar 2022

5 Min Read

Rie Kajiya (Guest Contributor), Josephine Serena (Editor)

IN THIS ARTICLE

How do you define being authentic? What does authenticity mean? Do you behave differently on social media and in real life?

Read more to find out which is your trueself.

Authenticity refers to the quality of being real or genuine. We tend to view it as whether or not people around us think we’re ‘real’, but it’s all about staying true to ourselves — acting according to our own set of values, beliefs, needs, and wants without letting others dictate it. Most of us have at least one social media account, active or not. We determine our online personality as we can control what we’d like to share to the rest of the world (or to whoever’s watching). In fact, our bio allows us to describe who we are or what we want others to see. 

 

We choose our persona and with functions like ‘Close Friends’ on Instagram Story, we can decide who and what we’d like to show certain people and what everyone else sees about ourselves. Hence, we might appear different from the way we’re offline, which begs the question then whether we’re authentic online? So, is the real you, your physical being or your social presence?

1. Expressing yourself online

A girl eats a pizza and watch video on phone

Ever noticed how someone you met online acts differently in person? Perhaps that person could even be you and you wonder which is the real you? 

 

Well, this isn’t to say you’re not being real, rather, some of us simply express ourselves better online. Perhaps, we’re more comfortable expressing our inner thoughts, opinions, and feelings when we’re not directly confronting people especially if we’re in the center of attention like during a presentation or when we’re in conflict with someone else.  

 

With TikTok and Instagram, where we can talk to a camera and then upload our content, we don’t need to worry about faltering, compared to when we’re in front of a live audience. We can film and capture what we want and edit out parts that doesn’t fit with our ‘personal brand’. Conversely, we may also feel it’s easier to convey genuine thoughts and opinions online without filtering as no one can physically ‘see’ or harm us. And that’s perhaps why cyberbullying and online trolls dare to go about and spew hate. As much as we’re free to express, social presence comes with these dangers too. 

 

But, someone on Twitter expressed, “I come here to talk to myself, if you read it that’s on you”. Something to think about the next time you’re upset over someone’s personal tweet? Besides,  we can choose to ignore or block someone on social media, but it’s not really possible physically when we feel the need to, right?  

 

The fact that social media allows us to easily reach a wide audience instantly could be why our online and offline personalities differ. As we share more online, we gain followers who enjoy watching and engaging with our content. This isn’t possible offline unless you’re a celebrity. And soon we become more bold and we may even show a side of us we’re shy to show in person. This explains how an offline introvert might be well-spoken or popular on socials. 

 

Kon Wen Wei, a youth influencer and content creator, who identifies as an INFP when asked about her MBTI personality, strives to keep real online. She’s opened up about her anxiety in her YouTube videos and the fact that she’s actually an introvert. 

 

study by researchers from Kaohsiung Medical University on college students found that social anxiety was generally lower during online than during real-life interaction. This shows that individuals who battle with social anxiety feel safer to express their authentic selves online. 

 

Besides, having a strong social media presence because of your content could boost your confidence or status offline.

Rie is a student of Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) at Taylor's University. She is also the current Vice President of Taylor’s Flix Society and is active in other clubs and societies within campus. She’s persistent towards her desires and loves exploring and investing in various hobbies and interests, such as fashion.

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