The rise of the real ... in a virtual world

It might sound counter-intuitive, but the airbrushed, artificial and aspirational world of Instagram could be perfectly suited to the age of the coronavirus pandemic. Call it the triumph of #nofilter over narcissism.

“Social media, in a way, is probably going to benefit from a pandemic, because people are not necessarily socialising, they’re not gathering – and they are socially isolating themselves,” says Andrew Hornery, PS columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald. “Perhaps our online digital community becomes an even greater platform for people to come together.”

Our social networks are a fragmented and segmented space, adds Good Weekend senior writer Amanda Hooton, yet they also possess the advantage of being notably democratising. “Once upon a time, if you didn’t have the right surname, and you didn’t have the right bank balance", establishment gatekeepers kept the doors to many places firmly shut. And now? “You probably just have to have the right number of followers.”

Celeste Barber fights the good fight at the bushfire relief concert held in Sydney in February. Credit: Dean Sewell

Hooton and Hornery spoke at length about the power of social media – and its authentic stars, such as comedian Celeste Barber – for the latest episode of Good Weekend Talks. Moderated by Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland, the podcast takes a deep dive into the definitive stories of the day. This week it looked back on a pair of cover stories examining the potential power we hold in our palm.

Keeping it real – Celeste Barber imitates Kim Kardashian on Instagram.Credit: Instagram

There was Hornery’s October 2018 piece on Australia’s Next-Gen A-Listers – "What’s not to like? The social network that really counts" – and before that, Hooton’s story for the May 2018 Style issue of the magazine – "Instagram’s new reality stars: Exhibit A, Celeste Barber, 3.6 million followers and rising" – commissioned by Strickland to examine “the rise of the real”.

“Everyone seemed to be sick of airbrushed perfection and skinny models looking like they had the most glamorous life,” says Strickland, recalling the moment that changed, led by the likes of Barber. “She was a refreshing antidote.”

“As of last night [mid-August],” Strickland adds, “she had 7.3 million followers, and had made 1241 posts.” That’s only 300 posts more than Barber had made two years ago, which begs the question: Does popularity flow from being sparing – choosy – with your posts, and making sure they are real rather than manufactured? “It does seem to be the case,” says Hornery, “because it’s about supply and demand.”

The podcast discusses everything from new platform use – TikTok parties, anyone? – to the sheer immediacy of feedback (or blowback) in the aftermath of any post, to the murky world of monetising your account and striking the balance between sharing and profiteering.

“The thing about social media is that everyone has an opinion and a voice,” says Hornery, “and if you set a foot wrong you'll soon hear about it, because there’s a lynch mob who will pile on and tell you about it in your feed.”

Hooton found her exploration of our online selves eye-opening, in part because of her nagging prejudice against what seemed a “vacuous” space – one rife with damaging mental health outcomes.

She was happy to see that, two years on, Celeste Barber could use her platform to raise $51.2 million for bushfire relief. Sure, the celebrity was chastened by the fact the money couldn’t be funnelled directly to victims of the fires, but even then she retained her authenticity, online or otherwise.

“One of the really nice things about her is that she’s spontaneous, and goes with her gut feeling … and responds pretty honestly, and I think the whole thing was just an honest, in the moment thing, that did spiral out of control. There was a court hearing about it,” recalls Hooton, “and she said, ‘Well, as if any proof were needed, I am not a lawyer and I did not get this right’.”

Listen to more episodes by subscribing to Good Weekend Talks wherever you get your podcasts.

For more good reading, see Saturday's Good Weekend, or visit The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.