The performance of excessive online production:market-driven exhibitionism?

Aline Batista dos Santos

In recent decades, social media has ceased to serve a single function as a space for connection, now operating as true showcases of everyday life. From this perspective, production is framed not only as an exercise or responsibility but as a fixed ideal measured through performance indicators. Increasingly organized experiences—packed schedules, successive academic activities, or lifestyles based on “healthy” ideals—become the foundational signs of online “success,” measured through curated posts.

This raises the question of why such performance must be displayed: is this exhibitionism aligned with reality, or does it mask unacknowledged (or neglected) problems? It is undeniable that the display of the “self” on social media involves a process of selection, with genuine editing of pseudo-truths. Users tend to publish moments that validate and reinforce what they wish to project, effectively marketing themselves as references or promotional figures. Through this curation, narratives of efficiency are constructed that often do not correspond to reality.

In this context, production becomes a resource for social validation. If an individual remains constantly busy and still signals efficiency, there emerges a demand for recognition, driven by engagement with what is produced. This is the cycle of online performance, where actions are measured by numbers rather than by their consequences or quality. The logic becomes cyclical and self-reinforcing: one produces about production rather than acting in reality; what is “publishable” is prioritized; and there is a constant need to prove and validate efficiency.

The massive exposure of such images and videos also generates consequences tied to social comparison. Other users compare their lives with those of influencers who appear more productive, fostering a sense of inadequacy without a real understanding of the socioeconomic inequalities and variations underlying this imprecise comparison. Moreover, the perceived need for constant production leads to the trivialization of rest, addiction to performance as a way to alleviate guilt associated with mediocrity, and poor time management.

This sense of guilt often produces remorse, which is then “treated” through courses and training programs marketed as magical formulas for success. The narrative that one’s 24 hours are the same as those of highly productive influencers reinforces comparison and constructs the image of an individual who is not maximizing their potential—thus, “mediocre.” Consequently, excessive effort generates numerous psychological harms, which in turn drive reliance on pharmaceuticals—either to suppress these “damages” or to boost productivity.

“They sleep! Use that time.” “They waste their leisure! Produce beyond what is considered mediocre.” The once-famous phrase linking money to hours of the day has now evolved into associating seconds with social validation. Even when there are attempts to show failure and vulnerability, the imagery of success continues to sell, attracting more followers and consumers willing to invest in ideas and journeys toward unrealistic peaks. Production thus shifts from execution to exhibitionism—not afterward, but in real time.

More than personal relief from completed tasks, the exposure of when something was accomplished and the reasons behind it seeks validation and ego reinforcement. However, reflecting on these dynamics of exacerbated performance and exhibitionism is crucial to fostering greater awareness on social media—particularly regarding the ideas consumed and the “truths” assumed (the market logic has not abandoned these platforms). Ultimately, within patterns of unrestrained consumption driven by unrealistic comparison, what is harmful performs in its own way.

REFERENCES

HAN, BYUNG-CHUL. The Burnout Society. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2017.BAUMAN, ZYGMUNT. Consuming Life: The Transformation of People into Commodities. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, 2008.DEBORD, GUY. The Society of the Spectacle. Rio de Janeiro: Contraponto, 1997.

I am an International Analyst, trained in International Relations, holding a bachelor’s degree in the field (2020). I also possess pedagogical certifications enabling me to teach Geography (2023), History (2023), and Social Sciences (2025). My academic background includes postgraduate specializations in Political Science (2022), Philosophy and Social Theory (2024), Sociology Teaching (2025), and Technologies Applied to Education (2025). Additionally, I hold MBAs in Educational Project Management (2022) and in Foreign Trade and International Marketing (2026).