We’re all guilty of documenting our lives a little too much at times.
The Instagram ‘Story’ feature has only fuelled the fire, paving the way for us to snap our every move, from videoing the eggs we had for brekky (#yolkporn) to uploading 17 Boomerangs of the same glass-clinking selfie with our gal pals.
Because, did it even happen if it wasn’t on Instagram?!
But there can also be an ulterior motive behind why some of us love uploading a good ol’ Story, particularly when we’re feelin’ ourselves.
Here’s how it goes: it’s Friday night and you’re about four wines deep. You take out your phone with a specific purpose: to share an Instagram Story in the hopes that your crush will see it and message you.
This is known as “Gatsbying”, and it’s the latest dating trend millennials are guilty of. Coined by Australian model Matilda Dods, who describes Gatsbying as the act of posting a photo, video or selfie to social media purely for your love interest to see, the trend stems the desire to have that person’s attention, without being the one to message first.
As for the namesake, The Great Gatsby‘s Jay Gatsby hosts wildly extravagant parties in the hope that his love interest, Daisy Buchanan, will eventually notice him.
As Matilda explains, this is exactly the same when you post “that cute picture of yourself showing just the right amount of leg and looking vivaciously nonchalant.”
Cue the boomerangs.
As it happens, Gatsbying works. That saucy snap you’re uploading to your Story will *sometimes* elicit a flirty convo or delayed message reply from that certain someone.
However, it doesn’t always work. In fact, they might not even see your Stories at all, let alone message.
Why, instead of just sending a text to the boy that I like, am I throwing the equivalent of a champagne soaked, chandelier swinging, Charleston dancing party on my Instagram story? All for that ceaseless green light across the water that is the attention of a boy who, let’s be real, probably isn’t good enough for me anyway?
And as Matilda says, most of the time the person you most want to notice you is probably a bit of a dickhead who barely gives you the time of day anyway.
If a crush isn’t giving you the attention you deserve, you’re better off without them, and they most certainly aren’t worthy of being Gatsby’d.
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