Gen-Z and Performative Authenticity

Intro

In Hamlet, Polonius famously said, “To thine own self be true” what value is there in being true to oneself to Polonius if you’re true to yourself “thou canst not be false to any man” with questions around authenticity in the digital age it's ever more important that we define what it means to be authentic to ourselves and define our values lest we sacrifice our authenticity for the glitz and glamour of social media ‘hype’. As humans, we have always strived to be authentic but what does that look like in the inherent performance necessary to be a digital content creator?

Influencers and the Need for Authenticity

Influencers have become a major part of the social media landscape, the celebrities of today if you will. While traditional mainstream celebrities are generally seen as untouchable and lack relatability, influencers are expected to be genuine and open with their audiences. And, as recent events have shown, the slightest hint of inauthenticity or failing to align with the values of the community you've fostered can and has been met with heavy criticism - something popular TikTok influencer teen, Charlie D’Amelio recently experienced after her belated support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the height of nationwide protests.

The pressure to maintain and curate authenticity is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it encourages influencers to be more genuine and open. On the other hand, it can incentivize people to flout regulations, such as the Federal Trade Commission’s recent ruling on paid advertisements and its impact on social media, particularly in relation to advertisements directed at children, and the rampant nature of performative authenticity and the fostering of parasocial relationships on social media platforms and amongst influencers.

The Reality of Digital Authenticity

The real question is, how authentic can social media ever be? While many try to differentiate themselves with “deep-fried memes” or “photo dumps,” it's hard to know how much of it is genuine. After all, there's no way to be sure if the people behind the accounts are truly living the life they portray online.

At the end of the day, authenticity is something that exists both online and offline, and it's something that we as a generation value and strive towards. We're already seeing creators and even some brands pull it off, however, the thing about being true to oneself is that the self is dynamic and always shifting and being accountable to an audience and having your paycheck tied to a persona limits the ‘real’-ity of dynamic growth.