In Defense of the Vibe Generation

Graphic by Yinne Smith

In part due to the hardships of 2020, more of us are relying on technology to maintain human connection than ever before. The media we consume on an everyday basis is now not only the foundation for many of our social lives, but it allows us to express who we are and the unique impact we want to have on the world. The social media personas we curate communicate the “distinctive emotional atmosphere” we infuse into the world, or as we call it, our vibe.

2020 is what happens when virtual reality becomes more real than reality itself. As I have not seen some of my closest friends in months, their online presence is in some cases the only way in which I see them. It’s the modern-day equivalent of the old chicken or egg conundrum — I’m not quite sure which comes first, who we actually are, or our vibes.

In defense of my vibe generation, I believe our internet personas are, in fact, an accurate representation of the personal identities we hold. No, they might not be who we “are” in a literal sense, but they communicate how we would like to be perceived. I don’t care if vibes aren’t a real “thing”. What’s real is how you choose to define it. 

What we choose to share, save, and follow creates a distinct digital reality that we can then introduce and invite others into. Yes, I understand it is borderline escapism, but expanding our reality allows us to curate individualized safe-havens. Every media platform is a place for self-expression and self-expansion, even if we’re not directly creating the content ourselves.

In recent months, we’ve seen a rise in a new genre of television shows, known as “ambient” television. Quite notably, Emily in Paris. These programs are essentially the visual equivalent of background noise. They basically allow us to take a free vacation without ever having to leave our homes (which is rather necessary in the middle of a pandemic). Because the television programs themselves are basically devoid of any true substance, the shows become whatever we choose to make of them. And since when is that a bad thing?

Social media allows us to cultivate and communicate a distinct vibe of our own. We quite literally have the ability to make a name for ourselves. What we choose to share (and not share) lies at the intersection of who we think we are, who we want to be, and in some cases, who we think we should be. Social media allows us to express what our perceptions of the world are, where our passions lie, and what changes we would like to make in society. Everyone has the capacity to manipulate their vibe, and everyone has the ability to express it.

It’s like the modern-day version of collage-making. The utopian pictures we paint communicate the unique artist we see ourselves as, via whatever method of self-expression we choose to use. How people want to define themselves is how I want to see them. The more in alignment I see someone as with their vibe, the more excited I am to follow along.

As I spent vastly more time-consuming media over this past year than ever before, I’ve found myself becoming more selective in which media I follow. On the other hand, I now follow more accounts than ever before as I use social media to expose myself to people whose diverse perspectives and backgrounds expand my own horizon.

If I learned anything in 2020, it’s that I’m completely responsible for my vibe and that I’m equally responsible for which ones I let into mine.

I love seeing what lights people up. I love learning about what people want to teach. I love viewing the art people choose to share. It doesn’t matter what someone is doing per se, there’s a time, place, and space for it all. I want to see what people bring to the table.

Instagram is perhaps my favorite platform for social connection and collaboration. Everything from the stories we save down to the colors we use carefully creates an aesthetic ambiance. It’s become not just a place to share snapshots of what we’re doing in life, but an incredibly educational platform. I follow accounts of all sorts, and each for a specific purpose.

I choose to follow accounts and consume media that I see as benefiting my own well-being, personal growth, and artistic development. My feed has become a beautiful bouquet of influencers, friends, and family alike, each communicating the unique impact they want to have on the world and infusing it with their own personal vibe.

I believe the vibe generation has positively impacted society. Due to the events of 2020, more of us are relying on technology to grow, learn and stay connected to others than ever before. Yes, what we choose to share over social media is artificially curated. Similar to the old philosophical question of “if a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one around to hear it, did it even make a sound?”, I argue the 2021 version is, “if we’re forced to live virtually, who’s to say our vibes aren’t a real thing after all?”.