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 Her Entire Profile Is Filled With These!
Image credits: reddit.com
#3 Nearly Had A Heart Attack When I Opened Tinder This Morning
Image credits: reknae
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 Same Person - Instagram & Screenshot On Television
Image credits: reddit.com
#5 Do Male Ig Models Count?
Image credits: reddit.com
#6 You Have Got To Be Kidding Me
Image credits: scorpiopath
“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 She Claims Her Body Is “Natural” And All “Genetics”
Image credits: wolfxiwtf
#8 He Has One Sky That Follows Him Around Everywhere He Goes. Amazing How Its So Consistent!
Image credits: BlurzIce
#9 Those Proportions Though
Image credits: slm81
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 No Face Texture
Image credits: OpnerOner
#11 Saw This A While Back... Thought I’d Post It Here
Image credits: afroqt
#12 Every Post Is This Weird Forced Laugh Pose And Soullessly White Eyes
Image credits: lolita_babe
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 Photographer’s Page vs. Model’s Page
Image credits: reddit.com
#14 Photoshop Skills Level Above 1000
Image credits: reddit.com
#15 You Can Barely See Her Nose
Image credits: Matthiaszzz
“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 Omeone Needs To Come Take Their Moms Phone (In The Comments She Swears She Didn't Edit)
Image credits: reddit.com
#17 Pants For Stick People
Image credits: NoCommunication5431
#18 That Is One Giant Hand
Image credits: Leathermos
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’m Sensing A Filter
Image credits: OriginalGSpot
#20 Jeebs
Image credits: throwawarRAqwertyuio
#21 Internal Organs? Never Heard Of 'Em
Image credits: Negative_Splace
“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 She Could Be An Olympic Swimmer With Those Flippers!
Image credits: AndreasBerthou
#23 New Picture vs. Picture From 2020
Image credits: Nahareeli
#24 When Your Head Is Thrice As Large As Your Thigh
Image credits: reddit.com
#25 I Was Shopping Online When I Saw This Dress... And Those Shoulders
Image credits: saithesti
#26 Holy Hand Difference, Batman
Image credits: galwithgoats
#27 I Finally Found One In The Wild
Image credits: thelittleEcho
#28 It's Like A Mask
Image credits: maxowl95
#29 I’m Speechless
Image credits: dg_hj25
#30 One Of Those Whitening Ads Again
Image credits: reddit.com
#31 I Really Thought At First Glance This Was A Sims Freeplay Edit
Image credits: Winston_Churchill
#32 My Friend Met This Girl And She Looks Nothing Like This
Image credits: ConversationMotor536
#33 "Professional" Photoshoot, Very Odd
Image credits: albino__bambino
#34 Whitest Teeth In The West
Image credits: thelostdemon
#35 Yup Nothing To See Here
Image credits: reddit.com
#36 Totally Realistic Proportions
Image credits: nunuvurbiznez
#37 Ok These Are Getting Ridiculous
Image credits: _IssaViolin_
#38 Must Be Her Sister In The Car
Image credits: illegalmemesforsal
#39 Don’t Understand How Someone Can See This As Anything But Straight Up Scary
Image credits: faevic
#40 Her Ig Profile Picture vs. A Screencap Of The TV Show She's On
Image credits: reddit.com
#41 We’ve Got Another Member Of The Pea-Head Squad. His Head Compared To His Hands...i Can’t
Image credits: okay_but_what
#42 What She Lacks In Calves She Makes Up In Shoe Size
Image credits: funpolicebendover
#43 Found One In The Wild - I Am Flabbergasted
Image credits: chantoi
#44 Croatian Singer. Yes This Is The Same Perosn
Image credits: reddit.com
#45 Aging Really Shouldn’t Be Something We’re Ashamed Of
Image credits: reddit.com
#46 This Edit Seems Off
Image credits: reddit.com
#47 Found This Random Ig Model And I'm Genuinely Terrified
Image credits: Crazy_Slice
#48 Scarred Me A Little Bit, Not Gonna Lie
Image credits: Malow
#49 Skipped Leg Day, Forever
Image credits: Douchecanoeistaken
#50 Never Skips A Leg Day, Just Skips The Right Leg
Image credits: _1000papercranes_
#51 Someone Call An Ambulance
Image credits: velmazing44
#52 The All New Curved Iphones
Image credits: reddit.com
#53 Intestines ? Never Heard Of Them
Image credits: ccupcakesrfun
#54 This Guy's Instagram Is A Goldmine
Image credits: reddit.com
#55 When Blurring Your Wrinkles, Don't Forget To Blur Your Reflection Too
Image credits: Magistraliter
#56 The Caption Says It’s Not Photoshop, But... How?
Image credits: bringthesnacks
#57 When Your Eyes Are So Piercing, They Burn Holes In Your Hair
Image credits: reddit.com
#58 Same Person… Wow
Image credits: ThePandaShow1990
#59 Hi Humans
Image credits: ClinicalIllusionist
#60 Someone’s Learning On Ms Paint
Image credits: Captaincadet
#61 Makeup Is Truly Amazing. It's The Nose For Me
Image credits: fatincomingvirus
#62 She Can Touch The Sky With Those Legs
Image credits: GalacticKitty
#63 Watch Me As I Stand On A Narrow Ledge With My Perfectly Clean Bike On A Wet Day
Image credits: Captaincadet
#64 This Model Makes Herself Look Easily 25 Years Younger And It’s Crazy
Image credits: HVACery
#65 Found In The Wild On Instagram
Image credits: olivia-annabelle
#66 Econ 101
Image credits: reddit.com
#67 Noses Are Clearly Overrated...who Even Needs Them?
Image credits: keyneem
#68 You Think She Might Look A Little Different Irl?
Image credits: yoshiwot42
#69 When Your Shadow Looks More Realistic Than You. Seriously, Bellies Don't Need To Be Fixed
Image credits: auapld
#70 Rib Removal? Nah, Photoshop
Image credits: reddit.com
