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
#2 Internal Organs? Never Heard Of ‘Em
#3 I’m Sensing A Filter
We 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 Omeone Needs To Come Take Their Moms Phone (In The Comments She Swears She Didn’t Edit)
#5 Must Be Her Sister In The Car
#6 Nearly Had A Heart Attack When I Opened Tinder This Morning
“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 One Of Those Whitening Ads Again
#8 He Has One Sky That Follows Him Around Everywhere He Goes. Amazing How Its So Consistent!
#9 Photographer’s Page vs. Model’s Page
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 Her Entire Profile Is Filled With These!
#11 What She Lacks In Calves She Makes Up In Shoe Size
#12 Saw This A While Back… Thought I’d Post It Here
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 Every Post Is This Weird Forced Laugh Pose And Soullessly White Eyes
#14 She Could Be An Olympic Swimmer With Those Flippers!
#15 Same Person – Instagram & Screenshot On Television
“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 My Friend Met This Girl And She Looks Nothing Like This
#17 You Have Got To Be Kidding Me
#18 I Finally Found One In The Wild
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 Those Proportions Though
#20 No Face Texture
#21 That Is One Giant Hand
“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 New Picture vs. Picture From 2020
#23 I’m Speechless
#24 Found This Random Ig Model And I’m Genuinely Terrified
#25 Do Male Ig Models Count?
#26 When Your Head Is Thrice As Large As Your Thigh
#27 We’ve Got Another Member Of The Pea-Head Squad. His Head Compared To His Hands…i Can’t
#28 I Really Thought At First Glance This Was A Sims Freeplay Edit
#29 Photoshop Skills Level Above 1000
#30 She Claims Her Body Is “Natural” And All “Genetics”
#31 Whitest Teeth In The West
#32 Pants For Stick People
#33 Jeebs
#34 Don’t Understand How Someone Can See This As Anything But Straight Up Scary
#35 I Was Shopping Online When I Saw This Dress… And Those Shoulders
#36 It’s Like A Mask
#37 Someone’s Learning On Ms Paint
#38 Skipped Leg Day, Forever
#39 Holy Hand Difference, Batman
#40 The Caption Says It’s Not Photoshop, But… How?
#41 Scarred Me A Little Bit, Not Gonna Lie
#42 Her Ig Profile Picture vs. A Screencap Of The TV Show She’s On
#43 You Can Barely See Her Nose
#44 Ok These Are Getting Ridiculous
#45 This Edit Seems Off
#46 This Guy’s Instagram Is A Goldmine
#47 Econ 101
#48 Hi Humans
#49 Someone Call An Ambulance
#50 Aging Really Shouldn’t Be Something We’re Ashamed Of
#51 Found In The Wild On Instagram
#52 Intestines ? Never Heard Of Them
#53 Found One In The Wild – I Am Flabbergasted
#54 When Your Eyes Are So Piercing, They Burn Holes In Your Hair
#55 “Professional” Photoshoot, Very Odd
#56 This Model Makes Herself Look Easily 25 Years Younger And It’s Crazy
#57 Totally Realistic Proportions
#58 Same Person… Wow
#59 Noses Are Clearly Overrated…who Even Needs Them?
#60 The All New Curved Iphones
#61 When Blurring Your Wrinkles, Don’t Forget To Blur Your Reflection Too
#62 Makeup Is Truly Amazing. It’s The Nose For Me
#63 Yup Nothing To See Here
#64 Croatian Singer. Yes This Is The Same Perosn
#65 She Can Touch The Sky With Those Legs
#66 When Your Shadow Looks More Realistic Than You. Seriously, Bellies Don’t Need To Be Fixed
#67 Watch Me As I Stand On A Narrow Ledge With My Perfectly Clean Bike On A Wet Day
#68 Never Skips A Leg Day, Just Skips The Right Leg
#69 You Think She Might Look A Little Different Irl?
#70 Rib Removal? Nah, Photoshop
