Alberich Lichtenberg (@Germanien)

—THE COST OF BEING SEEN ONLINE: MY FACE, THEIR PROJECTIONS— (PART 1) Between Authenticity And Digital Exposure When you decide to post your photograph on a social network, you are fully aware that your face may be seen by people from all over the world. That simple act means surrendering, to some extent, part of your #anonymity and exposing your #identity to a vast, diverse, and unfamiliar audience. There are many reasons why people choose to use their own image as a profile picture on platforms such as #X, #Facebook, or #Instagram. Some do so because they are not afraid to show themselves as they truly are; because they want to give their accounts authenticity and credibility; because they want to demonstrate that they are real people rather than fake profiles; because they are indifferent to the opinions of others; or simply because they choose to. Others, by contrast, prefer to conceal their faces and use images of animals, landscapes, or anime characters in order to preserve their anonymity, thereby protecting both their #privacy and their personal safety. The day I decided to use my own photograph on one of my social media accounts, I did so with the hope of connecting in a more human way; I wanted my followers to know the person behind every post. I assumed—guided by the same logic we use in everyday life—that the most natural thing was simply to present myself as I am. I asked myself: 'Who would walk down the street, travel, or interact in the real world while hiding behind a mask, a balaclava, or the image of a singer, athlete, or fictional character in order to go unnoticed?' No one, of course. So why should we behave differently in the digital world? At the time, I did not fully understand the risks that come with exposing yourself to global scrutiny. That decision, made with the best intentions, marked the beginning of a series of deeply complex and emotionally exhausting experiences. The Impact Of Exposure And A Shift In Dynamics As time passed, I began to notice a dramatic change: my number of followers increased every day, but not because of the information I shared or the stories I told—rather, because of the way I looked. The content I posted, the things I genuinely wanted to communicate, faded into the background. The comments beneath my posts became lost in a sea of polarized opinions: on one side, women complimenting my appearance; on the other, men expressing outright hostility. My private messages turned into an inbox full of uncomfortable questions, inappropriate remarks, and indecent proposals that, naturally, I never responded to. That was when I felt compelled to take action. I restricted who could reply to my posts, hid offensive comments, muted disruptive users, and blocked those who made me feel uncomfortable, until I eventually made my account private in an attempt to regain control over my own space. The Dilemma Of Subjective Perception Some people may think I am exaggerating, while others may say there are men far more physically attractive than I am—and they would be right. Beauty is entirely subjective. As the ancient Latin expression says: "De gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum"—there can be no dispute over tastes and colors. Every mind processes aesthetics differently, and there is no absolute truth or mathematical scale capable of measuring or proving that something—or someone—is objectively "better" or "more beautiful" than anyone else. That is why, to some people, I may appear exceptionally handsome, while to others I may seem entirely ordinary—or even unattractive. As the famous phrase attributed to Oscar Wilde says: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Beauty is not a fixed quality inherent to a person or an object; it is a personal interpretation, a judgment shaped by the preferences of the observer. And so, under the very same reflection, opinions may range from genuine admiration to the most irrational rejection. #Racism #Bullying #Homophobia #Xenophobia #SocialNetworks #Discrimination #PersonalSafety #SexualHarassment