Gen Z and gen Alpha brought a raw, messy aesthetic to social media. Why does it feel as inauthentic as ever? | Eugene Healey

"Authenticity is the great mirage of the modern age, as the more we strive to be real online, the more elusive it becomes, morphing into performance."

"What began as a rejection of perfection has ironically become perfectionism itself, as the genre of vulnerability has turned into another brand identity."

The concept of authenticity has become a mirage in the digital age, as social media encourages a culture of performance rather than genuine representation. While younger generations initially embraced raw and unfiltered content as a rejection of perfection, this has evolved into a new form of perfectionism, labeled 'vulnerability-as-aesthetic'. As personal identity turns into a brand, individuals are constantly aware of their public persona, leading to a disconnect with their true selves. The social media environment perpetuates the illusion of authenticity, rendering it nearly impossible to achieve in a world where every action is scrutinized and recorded.

Read at www.theguardian.com