“When you simply feel like you need more kindness, good old Tumblr is like someone’s brain. Having the chance to peek inside is something truly extraordinary,” said Swedish artist Arvida Byström as early as 2014, having made “social aesthetics” her artistic signature. Yet, there is a small drawback: on social media, every “like” we receive triggers a tiny dopamine rush, compelling us to keep checking for more validation. As Katherine Ormerod writes in Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Life, it’s easy to become obsessed with our digital image, believing we have control over our appearance. We grow accustomed to seeing perfected versions of ourselves and others, forgetting that these images are often edited. As a result, online platforms become distorting mirrors that reflect a society obsessed with performance and self-presentation.
