Too Many Skibidis

Why the age of age of social media has blurred the pursuit for self-discovery

In today’s world, your identity is connected with the online world. Social media platforms, specifically Instagram have given rise to a set of personalities. It's common to encounter teenagers or even children below the age of ten introducing themselves with internet slang or just referencing viral jokes and memes. This brings up intriguing questions about how we perceive ourselves amidst these personalities. 

Some teenagers are fully aware of this absurdity and adopt these internet personas ironically—almost as a form of satire. They speak in memes, and act like walking Instagram posts. It’s funny but, even when it’s a joke, it becomes a part of how we present ourselves. The line between irony and identity starts to blur.

Kids bond with others who recognize the same memes, and quote the same reels and laugh at absurd internet humor. Others who “don’t get it” are often left out or considered “uncool” or not funny, due to which there’s a quiet pressure to perform—to be effortlessly funny, quick and chronically online. Before you know it, you’re caught in a cycle of acting like someone else just to be accepted.

I’m not writing this from a wise place either. I’m one of those teenagers too, struggling to figure out where that persona ends and the real me begins. Although I’ve never really had situations where I had to fit in using all the knowledge I have of the internet, it's quite common for me to feel left out not knowing what my friends are talking about; which I feel is a common experience among all teenagers.

Finding your true self, your authenticity isn’t about deleting social media or living in a cave:  it does not have to be loud, aesthetic, or “relatable”. It's about balance. It’s about recognizing when you’re being genuine and when you’re just playing a role to fit in. It's the quiet confidence you get in knowing what makes you, you. The answer lies in taking a step back, spending time offline, and exploring things that interest you, not just what’s trending. Talk to people who make you feel seen and accept you for your true interests and not because you know certain memes or share the same internet humor.

Because at the end of the day, trends fade. Personas change with them and they should not overshadow the pursuit of self-discovery, because the real you is something that’s worth holding onto. 

                                                                                                                             Adhwaya P.S