Can You Be Real Online? (feat. @amandamaryanna)

Introduction

The host introduces the guest, Amanda Marianna, and her YouTube channel. They briefly discuss language learning app Babel.

Introducing Amanda Marianna

• The host introduces Amanda Marianna and her YouTube channel.

• Amanda gives a brief introduction of herself and her content.

Language Learning App Babel

• The host mentions his upcoming trip to Patagonia and how he plans to use Babel to refresh his Spanish skills.

• The host talks about the features of Babel, including lessons, podcasts, games, and live virtual classes.

• The host shares how Babel helped him commit daily to learning Spanish for his trip.

• Viewers are encouraged to click the link in the description or scan the QR code for 60% off their subscription.

Getting Started on YouTube

Amanda discusses how she started her YouTube channel and how it evolved over time.

Starting Her Channel

• Amanda started her channel at age 12 by imitating OG beauty gurus with outfit of the day videos and get ready with me videos.

• At first, Amanda's mom was against showing her face on the internet due to safety concerns.

Shifting Direction

• In high school, Amanda shifted towards making college-related content such as decision reaction videos.

• After making a video about choosing NYU for college, she gained more views which shifted the direction of her channel towards being a college YouTuber.

Becoming a Film Major

The speaker discusses why they chose to study film in college and how they got into vlogging.

Choosing Film as a Major

• The speaker was not a huge film geek in high school but took some classes and made short films.

• They found other subjects uninteresting and wanted to explore film more.

• They studied film at Tish.

College Vlogging

• The speaker started vlogging about their college experience, including NYU-related content.

• They were approached by Target to be in a commercial because of their college vlogs.

• Due to the pandemic, the speaker found it difficult to continue making college vlogs.

Transitioning from Vlogs to Scripted Videos

The speaker talks about how they transitioned from making vlogs to creating scripted videos on YouTube.

Trying Something New

• During the summer after sophomore year, the speaker decided to try a different approach with their YouTube channel.

• They started making videos that were more scripted and planned out than their previous vlogs.

• Examples of these types of videos include Harry Styles look book, Cottage core aesthetic transformation, Dark Academia aesthetic transformation, Main character aesthetic transformation.

Making Video Essays

• The speaker made a video called "The Quirky/Awkward Black Girl" which was different from anything else on their channel at the time.

• This video gained traction on YouTube and shifted the focus of their channel towards making video essays and commentary content.

Authenticity in Social Media

In this section, the speakers discuss authenticity in social media and how it relates to the traditional ideas of sincerity and authenticity. They also touch on the role of aesthetics and anonymity in shaping one's online identity.

Defining Authenticity

• The speaker defines authenticity as fully embracing who you are and presenting yourself with as little editing as possible.

• Anonymity can be a tool for vulnerability, allowing people to express themselves without fear of judgment.

• Reddit is an example of a space where people can be more authentic due to its lack of monetization.

Sincerity vs. Authenticity

• Lionel Trilling's work distinguishes between sincerity, which is tied to one's family role and class structure, and authenticity, which involves actively becoming oneself.

• The shift from sincerity to authenticity is popular in movies and books.

• The internet blurs traditional ideas of authenticity due to anonymity.

Aesthetics and Identity

• Aesthetics play a role in shaping one's online identity.

• Being authentic means presenting oneself as they are, but aesthetics can influence how others perceive them.

• Anonymity allows people to be selfish by not considering how their words may affect others.

Staying True to Oneself

• The speaker brings up the importance of staying true to oneself when making decisions about their YouTube career or university choices.

• Anonymity can allow people to express themselves without fear of judgment or consequences.

• Vulnerability can be a positive aspect of authenticity, but anonymity can also be used for negative purposes.

Authenticity and Transparency

In this section, the speakers discuss the concept of authenticity and whether it is always a positive thing. They also explore how authenticity has been commodified and its relationship with transparency.

Authenticity as a Virtuous Act

• Authenticity can be equated to transparency, which is almost always a positive thing.

• Socially, transparency and honesty are seen as good things, but the ethics of privacy may be questionable.

• Companies have been permitted to track personal information because people tend to see transparency as virtuous.

• On an individual scale, people may not care about tracking or privacy issues if they have nothing to hide.

The Commodification of Authenticity

• Authenticity has been commodified by corporations who encourage employees to bring their authentic selves to work.

• Anything that can be commodified and make money is inherently positive in our system.

• It is unclear whether authenticity is inherently virtuous or not since it could lead to anti-social behavior.

Transparency in the Digital Age

• The idea of authenticity has become more prevalent with the rise of social media platforms that encourage users to be themselves.

• The internet provides more transparency than ever before due to data harvesting practices by companies.

• People tend to accept tracking and cookies without much thought because they are trained to get to their destination quickly.

Introduction to Aesthetics

In this section, the speaker introduces the concept of aesthetics and how it is used in the internet age.

What is an Aesthetic?

• The speaker defines aesthetic as a mood board of any given visual style.

• It can be a collection of different images that fall under one cohesive umbrella.

• Aesthetics are inherently visual and satisfying to look at because they offer a visual harmony while still being heterogeneous.

Why Do People Engage in Different Aesthetics?

• People celebrate and engage in different aesthetics because it's satisfying to see seemingly different components that wouldn't relate to each other but have a common reference point.

• Within any aesthetic, there are different things, but they still fall under the same umbrella.

• It feels cool when you can fit an image of yourself under that umbrella.

Authenticity Aesthetic

In this section, the speaker discusses the authenticity aesthetic and its traits.

Traits of Authenticity Aesthetic

• The authenticity aesthetic is characterized by certain traits such as spontaneous or poor lighting.

• Visual signifiers like black text on Snapchat or framing on How To Be Real are also part of the authenticity aesthetic.

• Film photos and digital photos with imperfections are also part of the authenticity aesthetic.

The Medium of Photography and Authenticity

In this section, the speakers discuss how the medium of photography affects authenticity in social media. They talk about how portrait mode and disposable cameras give off different vibes, and how people are more drawn to authentic-looking photos.

The Impact of Medium on Authenticity

• Portrait mode and disposable cameras give off different vibes.

• People are drawn to authentic-looking photos in the Gen Z authenticity Instagram aesthetic.

• On Instagram, there are either extremely well-done photographs or very mundane/funny ones.

• Collections of mundane/funny photos feel authentic and relatable.

Celebrity Photo Dumps

• Celebrities doing photo dumps can feel aspirational despite being relatable.

• Does planning a photo dump take away from its authenticity?

• Context clues in celebrity mirror selfies indicate their surroundings are expensive.

Poor People Lighting

• Poor people lighting vs. nice white lighting affects the level of authenticity in a photo.

• Surroundings play an impact on the level of authenticity in a photo.

Authenticity vs. Unremarkable Photos

• A celebrity showing their authentic self is applauded, but it's unremarkable for someone normal to do so.

• Taste is political, which may explain why some photos are seen as more authentic than others.

Lower Class Dictating Taste

The discussion centers around the idea that lower classes may be dictating taste for once, as evidenced by celebrities attempting to recreate an authenticity aesthetic. However, their surroundings are still inaccessible to most people.

Celebrities and Authenticity Aesthetic

• Celebrities are attempting to recreate an authenticity aesthetic.

• The internet allows anyone to comment on celebrity photos, leading to torn opinions.

• Elite classes have to bend a little and try to recreate this lower class taste.

• Celebrity surroundings are still inaccessible despite attempts at authenticity.

Bottom-Up Process of Authenticity Aesthetic

The conversation shifts towards whether the authenticity aesthetic is a bottom-up process or not. Influencers play a role in popularizing the idea of effortlessness.

Influencers and Aspirationalism

• Kim Kardashian's photo shoot cosplaying poor was an attempt at recreating the authenticity aesthetic.

• Kanye West models easy sweaters off homeless people, which contributes to the aesthetics of homelessness.

• Influencers play a role in popularizing effortlessness and accessibility.

• Lifestyle influencers are more accessible than celebrities but still aspirational.

Middle Man: Celebrities vs Non-Influencers

• Influencers act as middlemen between celebrities and non-influencers.

• Lifestyle influencers are more relatable versions of celebrities because they're more accessible.

The Appeal of Influencers

In this section, the speakers discuss the appeal of influencers and how their perceived authenticity has contributed to their popularity.

Authenticity vs. Material Conditions

• The speakers acknowledge that some influencers may have had material conditions that gave them a higher chance of entering the influencer space than others.

• They note that people may have initially been drawn to influencers because they appeared more authentic than traditional celebrities, but in retrospect, it's clear that there was still an aspect of "coolness" associated with their lifestyle.

Influencers vs. Celebrities

• The speakers observe that they and their peers consume more content from influencers than traditional celebrities.

• They suggest that this may be due to an appeal to authenticity or the aesthetic of authenticity that influencers can better master than traditional celebrities.

Creating Identities Online

In this section, the speakers discuss how people form identities online and how profiles play a role in constructing and propagating those identities.

Prophylicity

• One speaker introduces the concept of "prophylicity," which is creating one's identity through profiles rather than solely through sincerity or authenticity.

• They note that people are often more concerned with how their actions will impact their profile rather than how it will impact their idea of who they are.

Profiles vs. Authenticity

• The speakers debate whether people care about authenticity anymore or if they're more focused on constructing and propagating their profile.

• One speaker suggests that while profiles aren't necessarily authentic, this isn't entirely a bad thing.

Paying off Student Loans with YouTube

In this section, the speaker talks about how they were able to pay off their student loans before graduating college solely because of their YouTube channel.

Paying Off Student Loans with YouTube

• The speaker was able to pay off their student loans before graduating college because of their successful YouTube channel.

• The NYU videos did not get the speaker a lot of subscribers, but they still attribute their success on the platform to attending NYU.

• The cost of education in America, especially in New York City, is mind-boggling and can lead to significant debt for students.

Authenticity vs. Profilicity

In this section, the speaker discusses authenticity and profilicity and how they relate to identity and aesthetics.

Genuine Pretending in Taoism

• The concept of genuine pretending in Taoism involves fully and sincerely engaging in a certain identity or practice while knowing that it is false and transient.

• The speaker believes that authenticity cannot be achieved in any meaningful way and that profilicity is more useful because it shakes up the idea of self.

• Taoism is loose with the idea of self and having a core identity.

Authenticity Aesthetics

• Engaging in social media spaces often requires people to consciously do things that wouldn't be authentic or natural to create an image or aesthetic that appears authentic.

• Aesthetics may be a way for people to engage in genuine pretending by creating an image or aesthetic that appears authentic even though it may not be natural or authentic.

Authenticity and Social Media

In this section, the speakers discuss authenticity in social media and how people can navigate it. They talk about candid pictures, curated content, and the importance of being genuine.

Navigating Authenticity

• Digital cameras can make candid moments look spontaneous and authentic.

• Being genuine is important, but sometimes people enjoy pretending to be candid.

• Some people love taking candid pictures because that's how they operate.

• It's important to realize that social media content is curated to a degree.

Engaging with Social Media

• People should avoid face-tuning themselves or editing their bodies into shapes that they're not.

• When posting on social media, ask yourself why you're posting something before doing so.

• Venting on social media may not be as satisfying as venting to an actual person.

• Sometimes it's more satisfying to send things individually to friends rather than posting them for everyone to see.

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