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Team spirit or algorithm?

Masculinity between performance, comparison, and self-optimization
At first glance, everything seems clear: Lino Martschini, professional ice hockey player for EVZ. Next to him, the same man, only more striking, more symmetrical, tougher.

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A picture can your life

Change even if

it never existed.

Anja ShusHu
Porträt eines jungen Mannes mit gewelltem Haar in blauem Polohemd mit EVZ-Logo.
Porträt eines Mannes mit kurzem braunem Haar und Bart, der ein blaues Poloshirt mit EVZ-Logo trägt.
Digital fake

Basil Stücheli used artificial intelligence to alter Lino's portrait. More defined facial features. Smoother skin. More symmetry. A more controlled expression.
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The AI isn't just inventing a new face. It is tapping into concepts that appear online again and again:
This is what attractive looks like.
This is what masculine looks like.
This is what strong looks like.
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A real person is turned into a digital ideal.

The real picture

The original also shows a man who works on himself every day. As a top athlete, Lino Martschini trains his body, measures performance, and strives for improvement.
But his everyday life also includes things you don't see in a perfect picture: Teamwork. Setbacks. Injuries. Responsibility.
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And that is precisely why this pair of images asks a different question: What does strength actually mean?

Let's work together

Looksmaxxing: When your face becomes a project

In simple terms, looksmaxxing means optimizing your appearance as targetedly as possible.
Skin. Hair. Muscles. Face. Posture. The desire to work on yourself is nothing new. What is new is that social media constantly shows us how we could supposedly look even better.
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The comparison doesn't stop after the workout. It continues in your feed. And at some point, "I want to improve" can turn into "I'm not good enough yet."

Team vs. Algorithm

Sports also involve competition, performance, and pressure. But there is something else: a team. Coaches provide feedback. Teammates support each other. Conflicts have to be resolved. And not every weakness can be filtered away. Online, things work differently.
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An algorithm doesn't know you like a teammate does. It doesn't know when enough is enough. It only knows what you react to.

What does constant comparison do to us?

Print

Self-improvement can be motivating. But it can also create the feeling that you are never finished and never good enough.

Images of masculinity

When strength is always associated with toughness, dominance, and a perfect appearance, it creates a very narrow image of what a man should be.

Endless loop

A workout has an end. A game has a final whistle. A feed does not.

#ClickWithCare

When content shows you how you could look even better, ask yourself:

Do I actually want this, or have I just been shown a new problem?

Does this content motivate me or does it make me feel dissatisfied?

Am I comparing myself to real people or to staged ideals?

What does strength really mean to me?

Quick questions: Lino on strength

What does strength mean to you?

"The awareness that you can't master everything on your own is just as important. Asking for help and realizing that you need it shows strength and maturity."

What makes a good team?

"When everyone pulls in the same direction, you usually achieve more than if everyone is talented but pulling in different directions."

And how do you handle pressure?

"I focus on my strengths and on what I can influence."

What would you tell your younger self?

"Follow your own path. Don't constantly look left and right. There are enough negative voices and comparisons out there."

These statements are taken from a conversation with Lino Martschini and Anja Lapčević for this pair of images.

Strength isn't the problem

Working on yourself isn't the problem. Training isn't the problem. Ambition isn't the problem. Even the desire to look good isn't the problem. It becomes problematic when an algorithm constantly provides new reasons why we aren't good enough yet.
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AI can optimize Lino's face. But it cannot show what truly makes him strong. Team spirit. Character. Honesty. Responsibility. And the ability to accept help.
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Perhaps strength doesn't begin where everything looks perfect. But rather where people are allowed to remain real.

Original image & AI transformation: Basil Stücheli
Featuring Lino Martschini with support from EVZ

Let’s work together