Instagram before meals

CEBU, Philippines - There is a popular joke that pokes fun on what has become a widespread habit of posting photos of food on Instagram –that it has, according to the joke, effectively replaced the time-honored practice of saying grace before meals.  But has the pervasive Instagram culture of this generation really supplanted praying before meals? It doesn't have to be either/or, you see. You can pray first and Instagram after. Conversely, for those who view their eating habits and choices as entirely private, even the spiritual, you don't have to. To each his own.

It used to irritate me seeing all these photos of food – from fine fare to street grub – plastered on my Facebook or Instagram news feeds, especially when caught in between long engagements and my next meal won't be for an hour or so. But I've also developed a mentality, a rule of thumb, on how to view different people's posts: if they don't hurt you intentionally, they can post anything they wish. When we start criticizing others for what they post or upload, we're the ones overstepping our bounds. Wise is he who sayeth, "If you can't beat them, join them."

I have since made a habit of posting photos of food on social media. Although in my case, more than the actual food, it's the company I'm with that I lovingly and carefully document in my "Dinners and Lunches" album on Facebook, now on its fourth book (Part 4). With an average of 200 photos in every album, that's more or less 800 meals all in all.  From time to time, I delight in looking back at all these meals, recalling the cuisine and conversations that differentiate one from the other.

My description for each "Dinners and Lunches" album reads: "For someone like me who loves to go out to try the newest gastronomic experience, re-relish an old favorite, or to simply hang out with people I love, here, in this album series that's a work in progress, I keep photos of dinners, lunches, brunches, breakfasts, and cocktail/coffee/tea sessions with loved ones, closest friends and family, and acquaintances."

Dining in the age of smart phones

Social media + mobile media, thanks to mobile internet, have revolutionized what used to be plain eating confined to the individual into a real-time dining democracy. With social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and their  corresponding mobile applications, compounded with mobile internet and/or increasing WiFi availability, practically everyone has become an endorser or food critic, sharing photos, composing captions and hashtags, covering an entire gamut of dining experiences: from Larsian barbecue and Siomai sa Tisa, to 5-star degustation and wine-pairing dinners with Michelin Star Chefs. 

"Tweet tourism" & "hashtag hype"

Instagram, Twitter, and more recently, Facebook, have developed filters that don't only make our amateur photographs look more appealing and attractive (it helps a great deal that recent camera phone models come with very high resolution), just like a pro, these edit options actually have a way of capturing the mood of the moment, the person's emotional state, beyond shots of savory and succulent steak, or sweet and sinful desserts. Still, I prefer #NoFilter.

Emerging trends in tourism to be threshed at the upcoming Asia Pacific Tourism, Hospitality and Technology (APTHAT) Conference in Malaysia include "Tweet Tourism" and how the photos we Instagram, the collages we put together (and when we check-in at a café or bar, or when we repost or retweet), have inspired a new tourism philosophy that has completely redefined and restructured marketing and communications for hotels and restaurants the world over. Also, hashtags collate and archive, making searching for what we want a lot easier.

Someone posts something that teases our taste buds or makes our tummy rumble, we take note of the caption or ask where it's taken if not indicated, and when we have time or in the area, we check the place out. It's truly a fantastic means of sharing and receiving nearly unadulterated information, straight from a fellow diner/gourmand, a great way of discovering a romantic hole-in-the-wall, homemade delicacies, or value for money buffet spreads.

Suffice it to say, this epoch of 24/7 connectivity has completely altered how we all live, move and experience our world-and the way we enjoy our food.  (FREEMAN)