We’ve all been there. You’re waiting for class to begin and you click on the Instagram application on your smartphone. In an instant, you know what your friends are wearing, what they ate for lunch and what class they find themselves “bored” in.
Streams range from users’ mundane daily activities to significant events.
I quickly scroll with my thumb, when I stumble upon the pictures of my 16-year-old cousin. With her pictures, she allows everyone to see what her hair looks like that day, or which friend she is sitting next to in biology — all complete with a peace sign and a kissy face.
I don’t care what your latte looks like, what color you painted your nails, or what convo you had earlier with your mom.
Instagram is the visual Twitter. It’s faster than Facebook and is constantly updated. Everyone feels it is important for their followers to see the world through their eyes.
I’m a supporter of freedom of expression and seeing things from a different perspective, but when you’re standing in front of the same restroom mirror, it gets old real quick.
Attention seeking is the No. 1 reason many people use the app. They rack in as many double taps as possible. Being featured on the “Explore” tab seems to be the driving force behind the constant updates and endless hashtags.
Just like gathering likes on Facebook or views on YouTube, it’s all about the instant fame. Who doesn’t want to brag that their sunset photo got more double taps than other users’ photos?
Posting mundane objects and events for all to see seems to be a way for users to make their day-to-day lives seem more exciting and more special. Is that noble? Sure. Is it annoying? Definitely.
In a society in which reading even a status update takes too long to get through, the instant visual gratification is the appeal to Instagram compared to that of Twitter or Facebook.
I’m not saying that I avoid Instagram like the plague, because I am a proud user.
The true talent that is on display on Instagram certainly doesn’t go under the radar.
It’s an outlet for users to make instant art. A third self-portrait in one day does not constitute as art. But, I admit that I am a liker of almost all food photos in my stream, as I consider the preparation and presentation of food as art.
Unfortunately, the standard of art is not held to the same standard to all users.
It’s like there are unwritten laws to Instagram. Viewing photos of shoe collections, the rolling of a blunt, a slice of pizza or fresh eye shadow is not artistic and does not deserve 75 double taps.
Next time you want to take that mirror picture, think before throwing up that peace sign, and take instead capture the art that is all around.
Reach the columnist at nrmirand@asu.edu or follow her @natalieroxann
