Why do instagram likes matter?

[raystar66]

Instagram does not even show the total number of likes per post, you literally have to scroll through someones likes and count them all so i dont know why this is usually mentioned when discussing instagramaxing?

 

[Lars]

different for other people, i still have the likes

 

[raystar66]

different for other people, i still have the likes

Why is this so? Every post I see on instagram I can not see total number of likes.