Self-representation and the quest for external validation in fitspiration culture

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Alexis Sossa
Universidad Mayor, Chile


Aurélien Daudi
Conspicuous Fitness: Social Media, Fitspiration, and the Rise of the Exhibitionistic Self
260 pages, paperback
Malmö: Malmö University Press 2024 (Malmö Studies in Sport Sciences)
ISBN 978-91-7877-488-3

At first glance, the title and captivating cover of Conspicuous Fitness may lead readers to assume that the dissertation primarily addresses physical fitness, bodybuilding, CrossFit, or the broader world of training. However, this assumption is somewhat misrepresentative. The work delves into the performative aspects of fitness, health, and gym culture as they manifest on photo-centric social media platforms, offering a nuanced exploration that goes beyond traditional notions of physical training.

Daudi invites readers to critically examine the implications of these expressions, investigating how they reflect broader societal values and individual identities within contemporary communication technologies. The dissertation posits that the rise of fitspiration culture is not merely a trend but a complex interplay of self-representation and the pursuit of external validation, exposing underlying psychological and social dynamics.

Through a nuanced analysis, Daudi encourages a deeper understanding of how fitness culture shapes, and is shaped by, our online interactions. This examination prompts reflection on the cultural narratives that dominate social media and their impact on individual self-perception and societal norms. Overall, Conspicuous Fitness significantly contributes to the discourse on fitness and identity in the digital age.

While fitspiration can successfully motivate individuals toward healthier lifestyles and foster a sense of community and support, this text argues that it may also perpetuate unrealistic body standards, leading to body image issues and unhealthy behaviours.

The term “fitspiration” is a blend of “fitness” and “inspiration” and refers to a concept commonly found on social media that promotes a healthy lifestyle through motivational messages and content. Its primary purpose is encouraging individuals to pursue fitness goals and adopt healthier habits. This phenomenon is predominantly featured on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, where common content types include before-and-after photos showcasing personal transformations, workout videos demonstrating exercises, healthy recipes and meal prep ideas, as well as motivational quotes and affirmations. While fitspiration can successfully motivate individuals toward healthier lifestyles and foster a sense of community and support, this text argues that it may also perpetuate unrealistic body standards, leading to body image issues and unhealthy behaviours.

Several fitness and weight training factors contribute to the photographic exploration within this social media subculture. First, fitness is a physical activity explicitly devoted to the development of the body as an end in itself, rather than as a means to another goal, which is often the case in other sports. Second, few aspects of life command our self-consciousness as much as our bodies, influenced by both natural endowment and cultural socialisation. Third, aesthetic enhancement—one of the main incentives attracting people to fitness activities—is inherently visual, making it particularly amenable to photographic representation. Finally, whether due to cultural or biological factors (or a combination of both), the body holds significant social value as a marker of beauty and attractiveness, making it especially susceptible to the self-care practices we engage in to polish and maintain our outward presentations. This unique significance translates seamlessly into photographic transmission, further reinforcing the fitspiration phenomenon.

The dissertation is structured in two halves: the first includes a comprehensive summary of the doctoral thesis, while the second presents four studies published in academic journals. Daudi begins by outlining the research aim and defining fitspiration, detailing its relevance to the project. Next, the author reviews previous and contemporary research, starting with social media and narrowing to fitspiration, particularly its relationship with psychological well-being among youths and young adults. A thorough examination of the philosophical methodology follows, addressing its application and relevant considerations, along with summaries of each of the four articles.

(Shutterstock/Ground Picture)

The book further explores the dissertation’s philosophical foundations in two chapters, corresponding to the significant theoretical influences guiding the work. A meta-analysis synthesises key points from the articles, culminating in a substantial concluding chapter that discusses broader implications and disciplinary relevance.

Article 1 discusses how the effects of fitspiration disproportionately impact young women, the most active demographic on photo-based social media platforms and the primary consumers of fitspiration content. The article’s core thesis argues that visually oriented platforms like Instagram amplify narcissistic tendencies by encouraging users to present themselves as objects of social capital. Within the fitspiration subculture, bodily exhibitionism is legitimised, transforming the body into a tool for social transactions and a significant marker of identity, status, and success. This dynamic emphasises external validation, commodifying the body and fostering a superficial sense of self-esteem based on appearance.

It also creates discord between on-screen representations and off-screen physical realities, manifesting as a relentless pursuit of likes, comments, and followers. This cycle perpetuates compensatory narcissism and self-objectification. Ultimately, while platforms like Instagram can serve as sources of motivation, they also contribute to a culture that normalises narcissistic displays, posing profound implications for mental health and societal well-being. The examination of fitspiration offers a compelling case study highlighting how digital media shapes self-perception, drawing on theories from Baudrillard, Lacan, and media ecology.

Article 2 shifts to Nietzschean philosophy, exploring how fitspiration, while ostensibly aimed at inspiring healthier lifestyles, often prioritises aesthetic displays that foster self-sexualization. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the biases and incentives embedded in social media, linking fitspiration to a broader cultural shift in Western society toward instant gratification and sensory pleasures. The article posits that fitspiration embodies a form of hedonism characterised by exhibitionism and voyeurism.

The idea that “sexualisation equals empowerment” is part of a set of shared but often unexamined beliefs that shape societal behaviour and perceptions.

Building on the insights from the first article, the author argues that the pleasure derived from narcissistic self-indulgence reflects the hedonic drive. As users engage in self-sexualization for external validation, their behaviour is driven by the promise of pleasure. The voyeuristic element involves users becoming habituated to a constant supply of engaging stimuli presented by photo-based social media. Humans naturally seek novelty, and the dopamine response triggered by novel stimuli reinforces this behaviour. However, this hedonistic turn can lead to self-destructive behaviours masked as empowerment without a genuine direction toward self-improvement and higher values. Here, self-gratification becomes a hollow substitute for true self-cultivation, lacking the virtues that Nietzsche associates with authentic self-veneration.

The third article examines how the social media fitness phenomenon promotes a healthy lifestyle while simultaneously emphasising sexualised self-presentations. A prevalent trend among its predominantly female user base is framing self-sexualization as empowerment, aligning with third-wave feminism and postfeminist ideals that equate empowerment with the freedom of unrestrained sexual expression. The author identifies this notion of empowerment as a key justification for the sexualised self-expression characteristic of fitspiration. The idea that “sexualisation equals empowerment” is part of a set of shared but often unexamined beliefs that shape societal behaviour and perceptions. Self-sexualization could lead to self-objectification, where individuals internalise an observer’s perspective of their bodies as sexual objects. This internalisation can result in detrimental outcomes, including body shame, increased anxiety and depression, and reduced cognitive performance.

Additionally, reliance on external validation through social media creates harmful feedback loops that perpetuate self-objectification and dissatisfaction. The article indicates the urgent need for a new, universal concept of empowerment that transcends gender, emphasising self-control, psychological resilience, independence, and the intrinsic potential of the human mind. This critique aligns with early feminist perspectives that challenge the commodification of female bodies and the superficial notion of empowerment through sexualisation. By leveraging Nietzsche’s psychological insights, the author proposes a framework inspired by his ethics of power, advocating for an understanding of self-empowerment that moves beyond self-sexualization and prioritises internal strength and self-mastery.

(Shutterstock/Africa Studio)

In the fourth and final article, the author focuses on the nature of self-representational photographs and the medium that facilitates the aesthetic practices characteristic of fitspiration. The analysis delves into the aesthetic and psychological implications of our cultural shift toward visual communication, considering how the form of such communication influences its content, mainly through the lens of Nietzsche’s aesthetic philosophy and the dichotomy of the Apolline and Dionysiac. The author argues that platforms like Instagram epitomise Apolline’s ideals of surface and appearance, fostering a culture fixated on beauty and self-aggrandisement. This pseudo-reality establishes new standards, pressuring users to conform to artificial norms and perpetuating cycles of performative expression and self-comparison—what the author terms “performative social media.” The fitspiration phenomenon illustrates a broader cultural shift toward performativity and self-beautification, often linked to adverse psychological effects. These developments primarily stem from the intrinsic properties of the medium itself, which promotes engagement focused on appearance rather than substance.

Consequently, the overall aim of the dissertation can be divided into three key components: First, it seeks to critically examine the philosophical conditions that enabled the rise of fitspiration and its practices. Second, it investigates the philosophical, psychological, and moral factors contributing to its appeal and legitimacy. Finally, it aims to deepen understanding of the cultural context supporting fitspiration, particularly its trajectory under the influence of social media.

This philosophical dissertation, contextually anchored to the field of sports science, provides a philosophically grounded perspective on the challenges and opportunities presented by the new media environment, emphasising the profound changes it brings to human existence and social interactions. A notable achievement within this framework is the critical analysis of photographic exhibitionism. The study argues that the phenomenon of fitspiration is significant not just as a passing digital trend but as a reflection of more profound socio-cultural shifts, ideological currents, and existential dilemmas in contemporary society. It offers a philosophical critique of fitspiration and the medium that facilitates it, suggesting that photo-based social media exploits unreflective, desirous, and narcissistic impulses within human nature, leading to unhealthy expressions that are detrimental both individually and socially. In this context, fitspiration emerges as one of the most egregious examples. This work challenges conventional wisdom and provides new insights into the complex interplay between technology, culture, and human behaviour.

To conclude, “fitspiration” represents a relatively new phenomenon in which users showcase their fitness achievements and lifestyles online, contributing to the rise of the exhibitionistic self. Conspicuous Fitness is both thought-provoking and pioneering in its research on this topic by way of critically illuminating the implications of digital self-representation on body image, health perceptions, and social dynamics from both philosophical and psychological perspectives. However, the sociological and anthropological dimensions of this relationship remain underexplored in the text’s discussion and literature review.

Copyright © Alexis Sossa 2025


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