If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound? Yes. Obviously it does. But, what if the tree falls so that someone would hear it does and know it exists — so that the tree can be used, preserved, or even cherished.
I have long distanced myself from social media. Long enough that I have now had the clarity to start observing people on it. One thing that stands out to me is that it seems that certain people are trying to become popular for their personalities like trees that fall to be heard. They showcase their daily lives, their thoughts about all ranges of topics, and their feelings about all parts of life. They talk to the camera as if it were a companion. It seems that people want to become popular for being themselves.
This is not commentary on whether this is justified. I’m here to examine why this may be the case as best as possible and briefly share my thoughts on intentional self-surveillance.
At its core, it’s about authenticity. People love authenticity. When someone is vulnerable or behaves without appearing concerned about how others might judge what they say or do, people tend to genuinely enjoy their content. This can often be seen through the thousands of likes such content receives and comment sections filled with people agreeing with or appreciating what is being expressed. However, authenticity does not necessarily mean being relatable. Rather, it is the perception that someone’s words and actions are genuine and not deliberately constructed to gain approval.
To better illustrate this distinction, consider the Kardashians and the women of Dubai Bling. The Kardashians are popular, in part, because they unapologetically embrace their wealth and lifestyle. Even when they attempt to relate to an audience whose experiences are vastly different from their own, viewers can often recognize the disconnect. Yet this does not necessarily diminish their appeal because they present themselves in a way that suggests they are not ashamed of who they are or how they live.
On the other hand, the women of Dubai Bling are not as popular, but this is not necessarily because they are different from the Kardashians. In fact, it is possible that they are even wealthier and demonstrate the same level of relatability and honesty about their intentions. The distinction lies less in the individuals themselves and more in the circumstances surrounding the creation of their shows.
Keeping Up with the Kardashians helped establish a trend in reality television centered on wealthy individuals navigating personal drama and extravagant lifestyles. Dubai Bling, by comparison, was created after this formula had already proven successful. As a result, the show can feel like an attempt to replicate the concept of a group of wealthy people behaving chaotically, with their wealth and petty conflicts at the center of the entertainment.
Because it replicates something that already exists and is popular, the show can give the impression that the people involved, or those behind its creation, care about what audiences think and are deliberately trying to appeal to them. Even if the individuals themselves are just as genuine as the Kardashians, the fact that the show follows an already successful formula can make their behavior seem more calculated than natural.
Ultimately, what differentiates the two shows is not necessarily how authentic the individuals actually are, but how authentic they appear to the audience. The irony is that the more deliberately something attempts to replicate what people enjoy about authenticity, the less authentic it can seem.
The result of that authenticity is that the Kardashians are popular. They are loved by many, they have access to places and events that would otherwise be barred for people (AKA The Met Gala, Fashion Shows, etc.), they receive free luxury treatment from brands, and they have become super wealthy. It seems that the key appeal of someone being themselves online is what being authentic can potentially bring into their lives.
But, even if the goal isn’t wealth for content creators on social media, the idea of being authentic online means to deliberately reveal parts of yourself to the world. It can simply be an experience that brings joy through expression. Or an experience that curates community through relatability. So, the there are many reasons for this.
This blog is an example as well. I made it because I thought the world should hear a tree fall. I made it so that I can be seen for everything I love to do and express it in a defined way. To me, it seems that sharing yourself to the world is a way in which people can attract wealth, create community, or express yourself.
But, this brings me to self-surveillance. While I can’t comment much on the personal effects that those who create content on themselves experience, I can state that creating content on myself through this blog has changed me and evolved my passion. Before, my passion was a scattered mix of knowledge from psychology and evolution books. But, now over the past few months, I have been more inclined to create a solid structure of academic knowledge on the topics I’m interested in. I had to answer the following question: “If I had to present my passion to someone, what topics, ideas, and information about the work I do would I present to them?” It gave structure to my passion.
In that same way, I often wonder how self-survellence affects those who create content on their personalities. While the goal of that type of content creation is to be authentic or be perceived as authentic (for whatever purpose), there is still the idea that people in the world perceive you in a certain way. Are people who create content on their lives impacted by their comments and how much do they change themselves to match other’s expectations? Do people who make one joke that lands well and the next the doesn’t ever think about the joke that didn’t land the next time they try to make one? If the tree falls wanting to be heard, would it fall differently if someone thought it would be too loud? Or even think about falling differently? No. Trees don’t think.
They just fall.
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