Are We Just Copying Each Other Online?
You open Instagram or TikTok and see it again:
The same sound. The same outfit. The same morning routine, different face, different edit, same structure.
It’s not just you.
Everything is starting to look… the same.
Online creativity used to feel endless. But lately, it feels like we’re all scrolling through slightly remixed versions of the same idea.
What happened?
The Algorithm Loves Consistency, But At What Cost?
The truth is, platforms reward repetition.
If something performs well, it gets copied. Then copied again. Before long, originality feels risky and sameness becomes strategy.
It’s not just creators.
Brands do it. Trends do it. Even self-expression has started following a script.
You’re not trying to copy, you’re just playing within the lines the internet laid out.
As highlighted by Vogue Business, algorithms have shifted from trend amplifiers to dictators, influencing what consumers see, covet, and buy, leading to a homogenisation of personal style.
When Aesthetic Becomes Identity
It goes deeper than content.
“Clean girl,” “coastal cowgirl,” “old money,” “mob wife,” “vanilla girl”. We’re not just naming looks anymore. We’re adopting identities.
But what happens when you don’t see yourself in any of them?
Or worse, when you do, but only after adjusting parts of who you are to fit?
There’s nothing wrong with trends. But when they become the blueprint for personality, it’s easy to lose your voice in the noise.
How to Break the Loop Without Logging Off
You don’t have to go off-grid. But a few mindset shifts help:
- Be intentional with what you consume and what you create
- Don’t be afraid to skip trends that don’t feel like you
- Ask: If this got no likes, would I still enjoy it?
- Do one thing this week that’s creative but unsharable
Sometimes the most original thing you can do online is simply… be real.
We’re not out of ideas, we’re just overstimulated.
You don’t need to reinvent the internet.
But you don’t have to copy it either.
Make space for your voice, even if it sounds different.
Especially if it sounds different.
