The authenticity economy - where comfort is everything.

The big social media platforms have all recently added a “snap the moment” type of feature in an attempt to satisfy a hunger among their users for authenticity. Of course, this is pretty ironic given that the same platforms have spent decades saturating us with curated, calculated multi-sensory experiences, where performance is the norm and perspective hand-picked.

The remedy comes in the form of a sanitized social media-friendly version of authenticity where users can decide how, when, and where to be themselves. To make sure their users stay engaged (or, god forbid, get disappointed), they can re-capture as many times as they want to make sure their authentic moment is “authentic-y” enough. 

That we value authenticity has never been debated. And it’s not the first time that someone has tried selling you something in the name of authentic living. Most brands have been doing this for decades, but it’s fair to say that it’s a new occurrence in the world of social media. After all, social media has never been about authenticity. It’s as if there’s a collective, silent understanding that the deal is performative, is entertainment, and isn’t meant to be representative of our real selves. 

This is the authenticity economy, a market for selling a tad more than just a product: the opportunity to be yourself comfortably and always on your own terms. Easy, does it, right? Of course, you're being authentic while performing in front of your followers, but that’s a different story. Time will tell whether this diet version of authenticity is here to stay or if it will be just another “cool feature” tossed to the side once users decide that they prefer a different flavor of authenticity.