Some of the images people post online can range from cute to an utter spit in the face of photography. But there is a specific subset of absurd pictures where a person has decided that no one will notice the mountain of filters they have applied.
We’ve gathered some of the most egregious examples of “Instagram versus reality” on the internet. We also got in touch with Erin Vogel, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to discuss beauty standards and how they warp people’s perceptions. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and share your thoughts below.
#1 Thank You Tinder For The Incoming Nightmares Ill Have Tonight
Image credits: benkirby1992
#2 Nearly Had A Heart Attack When I Opened Tinder This Morning
Image credits: reknae
#3 I’m Sensing A Filter
Image credits: OriginalGSpot
Bored Panda got in touch with Erin Vogel, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and she was kind enough to share some thoughts with us on beauty standards, what causes them, where they come from and what people can do to change their mindset.
“Beauty standards are rooted in systems of power. People with privilege set standards that are not attainable—and maybe not desirable—for most people. For example, in the United States, many beauty standards are centered around White people’s appearances.”
#4 Internal Organs? Never Heard Of 'Em
Image credits: Negative_Splace
#5 Omeone Needs To Come Take Their Moms Phone (In The Comments She Swears She Didn't Edit)
Image credits: reddit.com
#6 He Has One Sky That Follows Him Around Everywhere He Goes. Amazing How Its So Consistent!
Image credits: BlurzIce
“Advertisements, both online and offline, reinforce the idea that we need to spend money on products and services to look a certain way to be attractive and feel good about ourselves,” she shared. After all, if you constantly feel like your own body, hair or face is a problem, chances are you’ll spend money to “fix” it.
#7 Her Entire Profile Is Filled With These!
Image credits: reddit.com
#8 One Of Those Whitening Ads Again
Image credits: reddit.com
#9 Saw This A While Back... Thought I’d Post It Here
Image credits: afroqt
We also wanted to know if there were any other “sources” of beauty standards. “Traditional media and social media both play a role in setting beauty standards. When people with certain features (e.g., thinner or more muscular bodies) are consistently shown in the media, we collectively start to believe that those features are ideal.”
#10 Must Be Her Sister In The Car
Image credits: illegalmemesforsal
#11 Every Post Is This Weird Forced Laugh Pose And Soullessly White Eyes
Image credits: lolita_babe
#12 Photographer’s Page vs. Model’s Page
Image credits: reddit.com
So we also wanted to hear her advice on what people can do to try and “shield” themselves from the constant bombardment of certain body types and looks. “Follow people on social media whose content brings something good to your life. Social media can be great for staying in touch with friends, making ourselves laugh, and learning something new.”
#13 Same Person - Instagram & Screenshot On Television
Image credits: reddit.com
#14 What She Lacks In Calves She Makes Up In Shoe Size
Image credits: funpolicebendover
#15 My Friend Met This Girl And She Looks Nothing Like This
Image credits: ConversationMotor536
“If you notice that you’re constantly comparing yourself to other people on social media and feeling bad about yourself, it might be time to follow some new people. There are plenty of body-positive people of all shapes and sizes on social media. Find someone relatable. Their content might be uplifting when you’re struggling with the pressure to look perfect.”
#16 Those Proportions Though
Image credits: slm81
#17 She Could Be An Olympic Swimmer With Those Flippers!
Image credits: AndreasBerthou
#18 You Have Got To Be Kidding Me
Image credits: scorpiopath
However, setting those standards aside, we also wanted to hear her opinion on the sorts of images seen here. After all, beauty standards are one thing, but some of these are so overly edited that there is no way they look “good.” “We spend a lot of time on social media, and we adjust to seeing and using filters!” she shared.
#19 I Finally Found One In The Wild
Image credits: thelittleEcho
#20 That Is One Giant Hand
Image credits: Leathermos
#21 No Face Texture
Image credits: OpnerOner
“Many people who edit their images may be trying to fit a certain ideal that seems normal and desirable on social media.” Unfortunately, if you spend too much time just looking at edited photos, you end up with a skewed idea of what human beings look like. So if 90% of the people you see are on Instagram, the photos here are not that far from the norm.
#22 I’m Speechless
Image credits: dg_hj25
#23 When Your Head Is Thrice As Large As Your Thigh
Image credits: reddit.com
#24 New Picture vs. Picture From 2020
Image credits: Nahareeli
#25 Photoshop Skills Level Above 1000
Image credits: reddit.com
#26 She Claims Her Body Is “Natural” And All “Genetics”
Image credits: wolfxiwtf
#27 Do Male Ig Models Count?
Image credits: reddit.com
#28 I Really Thought At First Glance This Was A Sims Freeplay Edit
Image credits: Winston_Churchill
#29 Jeebs
Image credits: throwawarRAqwertyuio
#30 You Can Barely See Her Nose
Image credits: Matthiaszzz
#31 Whitest Teeth In The West
Image credits: thelostdemon
#32 Found This Random Ig Model And I'm Genuinely Terrified
Image credits: Crazy_Slice
#33 It's Like A Mask
Image credits: maxowl95
#34 We’ve Got Another Member Of The Pea-Head Squad. His Head Compared To His Hands...i Can’t
Image credits: okay_but_what
#35 Her Ig Profile Picture vs. A Screencap Of The TV Show She's On
Image credits: reddit.com
#36 Pants For Stick People
Image credits: NoCommunication5431
#37 Skipped Leg Day, Forever
Image credits: Douchecanoeistaken
#38 Don’t Understand How Someone Can See This As Anything But Straight Up Scary
Image credits: faevic
#39 I Was Shopping Online When I Saw This Dress... And Those Shoulders
Image credits: saithesti
#40 Someone’s Learning On Ms Paint
Image credits: Captaincadet
#41 Ok These Are Getting Ridiculous
Image credits: _IssaViolin_
#42 Scarred Me A Little Bit, Not Gonna Lie
Image credits: Malow
#43 The Caption Says It’s Not Photoshop, But... How?
Image credits: bringthesnacks
#44 This Edit Seems Off
Image credits: reddit.com
#45 This Guy's Instagram Is A Goldmine
Image credits: reddit.com
#46 Hi Humans
Image credits: ClinicalIllusionist
#47 Econ 101
Image credits: reddit.com
#48 Holy Hand Difference, Batman
Image credits: galwithgoats
#49 Someone Call An Ambulance
Image credits: velmazing44
#50 Aging Really Shouldn’t Be Something We’re Ashamed Of
Image credits: reddit.com
