In the article by Jenni Gritters entitled “How Instagram takes a toll on influencers’ brains” the author argues that social media can have a negative impact on the way people think about themselves. Gritters states that Influencers using social media are constantly comparing themselves to others and as a result their self-esteem can seriously decline and they can suffer from high anxiety. Or, to put it in the words of Churchill, comparison is a thief of joy, as the constant use of Instagram can foster negative perceptions about oneself the more that one compares what one is doing in one’s one profile to what others are doing. However, in the article by Cheryl Wischhover notes, social media influencers have created an industry all their own and have become celebrities in their own right, which big contracts from big corporations routinely coming their way. Far from developing anxiety, these social media influencers are amassing followings, signing lucrative deals, and creating drama to generate more clicks and increase their ad revenue. This paper will show how an issue is never one-sided or as simple as it may seem; in other words, Gritters may have a point about social media causing anxiety for some, but for others who are able to maximize its potential it can be the pathway to stardom, fame, riches and celebrity-status.
As De Vries, Gensler and Leeflang point out, social media is one of the most influential forms of communication of this generation. In fact it is so popular that people are using their status on sites like Yelp and Instagram to try leverage freebies for themselves, such as free food and stays at inns in exchange for posting favorable reviews of the bars and inns on social media. However, as Heather Murphy points out, not every owner wants to exchange his services and goods for “influence.” For example, Gianluca Casaccia, who owns the White Banana Beach Club, wants cash from customers—not reviews on Instagram. He views “influencers” as freeloaders who think influencing on social media gives them status and influence in the real world (Murphy). In spite of what Casaccia thinks, though, young people prefer getting their information on what to buy or what to think from social media than from traditional sources of information, such as TV shows, ads or magazines. The young generation learns to trust people on social media because they can interact with them, message them, get to know them, and so on. It is a way to cultivate relationships. However, there is a dark side to social media that can impact one’s brain, according to Gritters.

The point that Gritters focuses on when it comes to social media is that it creates a culture of constant comparison between users. One person will post something on social media and obsess over whether...…that her entry into that story is the whole story or that there are not other sides to it. The picture that Gritters seems to present is that it is an open and shut case: Instagram causes more trouble than it is worth; social media will lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. But clearly this is not the case for everyone, as Wischhover shows, and clearly it is not the whole story.

Gritters’ argument is logical and does make sense considering the sources she provides. However, Wischhover provides another side of the narrative regarding social media. Gritters is negative towards it. Wischhover is positive towards it. De Vries et al. are accepting of it as a new form of communication. All have their angles and perspectives and all of their perspectives can be said to be valid. However, some take on a larger scope or focus on certain aspects while others narrow in on different elements of the social media phenomenon. To say that one side is right or wrong is beyond the scope of this paper. What this paper shows is that there is typically more to a story than just what one side presents. This paper has illustrated how there can actually be multiple sides or perspectives to consider when looking at a story. The story of social media and Instagram is a perfect illustration of that fact.

Works Cited

De Vries, Lisette,…