What does creativity really have to do with all of this? Well, when you look at the monopolization of online spaces, it’s clear—there’s little to no alternative if you want to make a public presence known without relying on a social media profile. Unless you’ve already made a name for yourself, it’s nearly impossible to reach a wide audience without plugging into the social media machine.
The result? The vast majority of us end up displaying our content and public image on platforms that all have the same layout, the same rules, the same colors. You can try to get creative with how you post or edit, but at the end of the day, you’re still boxed in by the same rigid standards.
Social media is slowly but surely eroding diversity. It’s standardizing the way we present ourselves, the way we communicate, and—perhaps most frustratingly—the way we share images. Everything starts to blend together; the context gets lost. Our personalities and unique identities get swallowed up, all hidden behind the same generic profiles and layouts that everyone else uses. Creativity? It’s there, but it’s fighting an uphill battle.