The pressures of "That Girl" ?

 The pressure of “productivity” in today's digital age has become a growing trend in recent times. Media apps and platforms have become a forum for influence as popular content creators have shared their lifestyles and daily routines in aesthetically pleasing and idealized ways that imply a pressure for self-care and productivity. Similar to the arguments presented in Melissa Greggs book Counterproductive, influencer media content has increasingly moved towards the self help genre in which these “guru-style leaders assume the role of guide or donor in the quest to find greater productivity.” (Gregg, 2018, p.53) Most recently, this idea has taken shape in the form of a viral media trend labeled as “That Girl”. Described as a person who wakes up early, meditates, makes their bed, eats only healthy foods, journals daily, goes to the gym often, walks 10,000 steps a day, drinks 2L of water a day and naturally has their life together, the “That Girl” lifestyle has grown in popularity as a technique to “improving your life”. Just as Gregg asserts, the rise of the digital economy placed a new and intentional emphasis on aesthetics. This viral trend works just the same as it operates by romanticizing the idea of productivity. Popular videos across different platforms offer personal help with the how (schedules, routines, tasks) as opposed to the where. Videos depicting “That Girl” daily routines and how-to-guides continue to go viral as they portray an idealized understanding of wellness and productivity.  The trend encourages the adoption of a predetermined and active formula that involves incorporating methods of productivity into the daily practices of the individual. Similar to Greggs understanding of self-help and productivity, the “That Girl” understanding creates an aesthetic activity in which getting work done looks and feels beautiful and evokes a sense of pleasure in leading an efficient and productive lifestyle. 


Question: Melissa Gregg explores productivity through the lens of the genre of self-help books and productivity apps. While a viral trend is not necessarily a productivity app or book, do you believe that these cultural understandings can function in the same way? Can you think of any other trends that might operate in a similar manner? 


Comments

  1. Sharmaine Ehi-AkatueApril 25, 2022 at 1:40 PM

    Great example using the "That Girl" trend that has been going around recently. I think that is a prime example of the productivity trend that Gregg was discussing in the text. I also believe that as this productivity movement continues, it is becoming more and more discrete in its forms so instead of the boring form of a self help book with repetitive tips that readers have heard time and time again. Instead it has now taken the discrete form of an aesthetics trend that is still a trend but seen as being beneficial at the same time. However the downsides I see with a form like this is that it is presented by other girls who claim to have the lifestyle of "that girl" through edited short videos however that may often times not be the real reality of that individual's life and this in turn sets very unrealistic standards for those viewing these 30 second videos and assuming that it is an accurate representation of that individual's entire life and end up feeling like a failure for not meeting these unrealistic imaginary standards.

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