Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms for sharing content related to health and wellness. With millions of people using the app daily, it is no surprise that many users turn to it for inspiration and guidance regarding their own physical and mental health.
Some have raised concerns about how the app's emphasis on "self-care" can blur the line between personal growth and objectifying oneself. This essay will explore how Instagram's intertwining of wellness culture and erotic aesthetics confuses users' sense of where self-care ends and erotic self-objectification begins.
The rise of wellness culture on Instagram
There has been an increase in the popularity of wellness culture on social media platforms like Instagram. This trend involves individuals taking control of their health and fitness through practices such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and nutrition. Many influencers promote these activities on Instagram, often posting pictures and videos of themselves practicing them. In addition to physical health, wellness culture also encompasses emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Users can find posts discussing topics such as mental health, relationships, and self-love.
The intersection of wellness culture and eroticism
While wellness culture focuses on promoting self-improvement, it also involves aspects of body image and sexuality. Some influencers use sexually suggestive poses or clothing while promoting workout routines or other forms of self-care. This combination of wellness and eroticism can be confusing for users who are trying to improve their overall wellbeing. They may wonder whether they are engaging in self-care or eroticizing themselves.
A user might post a picture of themselves doing yoga in lingerie, claiming that it helps with body confidence.
This could lead some viewers to believe that the person is using yoga simply as an excuse to flaunt their body instead of improving it.
Confusing boundaries between self-care and objectification
The blurring of lines between self-care and objectification can be harmful to users' mental health. When someone starts objectifying themselves, they may become focused on their appearance rather than their inner self. This can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. It can also lead to unhealthy behaviors like eating disorders or excessive exercise. On Instagram, there have been cases where users have posted pictures of themselves losing weight or undergoing extreme fitness regimes, claiming that these activities are necessary for good health. In reality, these actions can harm both physical and mental health.
Instagram's intertwining of wellness culture and erotic aesthetics creates confusion among users about how to define self-care. While many people turn to social media for inspiration and guidance regarding their health, they need to be careful not to cross the line into objectifying themselves. By promoting body positivity and emotional wellbeing without sexualization, influencers can help users differentiate between self-care and self-objectification.
Users should approach wellness content with caution and avoid comparing themselves to others. Self-improvement comes from within, and no one else can define what that looks like except for oneself.
In what ways does Instagram's intertwining of wellness culture and erotic aesthetics confuse users' sense of where self-care ends and erotic self-objectification begins?
Instagram's intertwining of wellness culture and erotic aesthetics has led to confusion among its users about where self-care ends and erotic self-objectification begins. The platform has been criticized for promoting an unrealistic and potentially harmful standard of beauty that can be detrimental to both mental and physical health.