“Finding Nemo in a Sea of Digital Bubbles” By Emma Hwang

The expansion of the internet and the popularization of social media platforms have given rise to increasingly virtualized forms of human interaction. With the onset of COVID-19, the normalized use of video-based communication internalized a “camera-on” culture, while interest-based algorithms accelerated the dominance of fast-visibility platforms like TikTok. While these developments kept individuals connected even in remote circumstances, constant visibility has simultaneously heightened youths’ sensitivity to social evaluation.

For today’s youth, social media has become a form of social currency, where identity is rewarded through algorithmic visibility and perceived online appeal. A rising trend has been short videos such as “A Day in My Life,” often featuring students fitting 6 a.m. runs, skincare routines, study sessions, and carefully arranged meals into a single day. Regardless of whether viewers believe these routines are genuine or staged, repeated exposure can shape what they begin to desire and consider normal.

Festinger’s social comparison theory explains how people evaluate their own abilities and lives by comparing themselves to others. Since most posts highlight only the most appealing moments, these flawless clips can create unrealistic standards for what it means to be productive or successful. As a result, people may judge their ordinary, realistic days as not good enough.

This pressure can lead to what Goffman describes as impression management: the process of controlling how others perceive us. While impression management also occurs in face-to-face interactions, social media gives users far greater control. People can edit, retake, filter, and intentionally display only selected moments. As more people present these idealized versions of themselves, the standard rises, and a “perfect day” can slowly become a group norm.

These expectations also change peer dynamics. Being featured in group posts, tags, or stories can become a sign of belonging, while being left out may signal exclusion. Social identity is therefore increasingly shaped by performance, public feedback, and group norms moving at the speed of the digital crowd.

To retain a stable sense of self, young people need to separate genuine desires from those repeatedly presented online. Social media should not simply be a place for mimicking circulating values, but a tool for expanding one’s interests, maintaining meaningful connections, and understanding a more diverse world.