Archive · 21 Nov 2025
The Exhaustion of Performance Culture in the Social Media Age
The author shares their experience at a comedy show where they couldn't use their phone.
This made them realize how much our lives have become about performing and documenting experiences for social media, rather than just living them.
A mental health expert explains how this 'performance culture' can be harmful to our well-being.
The author reflects on how to unlearn this need to perform and live more authentically.
Author's experience at a comedy show highlights the constant need to document and share experiences on social media
Mental health expert Arouba Kabir explains the concept of 'performance culture' and its impact on individuals
Author reflects on the pervasiveness of performance culture in daily life, even when alone
The author and Kabir discuss the cost of constant performance, including authenticity, peace, and mental health
Author suggests unlearning the need to perform and living without constant documentation
- Who
- The author and other social media users
- What
- Experiencing and performing life for social media
- When
- In the age of social media
- Where
- Everywhere, as social media is accessible from anywhere
- Why
- To gain validation, feel relevant, and avoid feeling lonely or ordinary
Performance Culture Advocates
Authenticity Advocates
Validation and Recognition
Performance Culture Advocates
Performance culture provides validation and recognition through likes, comments, and shares.
Authenticity Advocates
Constant validation can lead to dependency and loss of authenticity.
Authenticity vs. Curation
Performance Culture Advocates
Curation is a form of self-expression and creativity.
Authenticity Advocates
Over-curation can lead to inauthenticity and loss of genuine emotions.
- Author's experience
- Unable to use phone at a comedy show
- Concept discussed
- Performance culture
- Impact of performance culture
- Exhaustion, loss of authenticity, mental health issues
- Author's realization
- Need to unlearn performing and live authentically
- Mental health expert
- Arouba Kabir