Strava Proxy Runners and The Need for (False) Existence

Several days ago, Indonesian social media buzzed with a curious phenomenon: proxy runners on strava. Some individuals paid others to run, cycle, or log physical activities on their behalf using the strava app. It may sound amusing, even laughable. But it reveals something deeper, the anxiety of absence that fuels a false need to be present. As we know, in the digital world, visibility often matters more than authenticity, not being seen feels like not existing at all.

This phenomenon reflects a growing digital anxiety. We are no longer just eager to make progress, but we want to appear as if we are progressing, and we hope to receive public affirmation in return. Ballara (2023) notes that features such as likes, shares, and comments significantly increase users’ need for validation. Positive responses trigger emotional reward while negative or low responses can lead to disappointment. In this environment, digital presence becomes an emotional transaction between projected identity and public approval.

We know that Strava was originally an appreciative space, its a digital community for sharing fitness and mutual support. Yet, like many other platforms, it gradually adopted a logic of performance: who is the most active, the farthest, most disciplined and consistent. Nor, Iqbal and Shari (2025) argue that social media encourages self-comparison and amplifies the desire for validation, which can drive excessive usage. In that context, hiring a proxy runner is no longer about laziness, it’s about staying ‘visible’ in a space governed by metrics.

At this point, we return to Marshall Mc Luhan’s famous assertion, “The medium is the message”. What shapes user behavior is not only the content, but the platform structure and logic itself. When a platform emphasizes numbers, visuals, and public tracking, we try to internalize implicit messages “look impressive or be forgotten”, we end up showcasing progress, even if fabricated, just to stay socially relevant.

We think we are spreading motivation, but in truth we are amplifying performative noise. We assume we are contributing to a community, when in fact we are trapped in a race for appearance and acceptance. Our world is highly hungry for authenticity, we are lacking in honesty.

References:

Ballara, N. (2023). The Power of Social Validation: A Literature Review on How Likes, Comments, and Shares Shape User Behavior on Social Media. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews. https://doi.org/10.55248/gengpi.4.723.51227

Nor, N., Iqbal, N., & Shaari, A. (2025). The Role of False Self-Presentation and Social Comparison in Excessive Social Media Use. Behavioral Sciences, 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15050675

McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. New York: McGraw-Hill.