14 DAY TRIAL // Selfies. There is nothing more annoying in today’s social media world. Although some could argue that pictures of babies and cats are worse, I still believe that selfies are nastier.
Since its appearance, the selfie has continuously grown in popularity and has established itself as a form of self-expression. However I cannot help but wonder, is this phenomenon just a harmless trend or a sign of western society’s decline in terms of self-esteem?
What is actually the point of posting selfies on social media sites? To see the screen filling with thumbs-up signs and heart-shaped emoticons? Is it a method to receive approbation or reassurance from others? Whatever it is, it proved to be addictive for many.
What are selfies?
In a few words: wildly popular photos of ourselves snapped with our cellphones and posted on social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You might think that there is nothing wrong or harmful about it, but if you come to think of it, you realize that it is a very narcissistic thing to do.
All those people who spend tens of minutes trying to take the perfect selfie are actually lacking confidence in their appearance – and they lack confidence in themselves because they live in a world of selfies.
Moreover, it’s kind of ridiculous when you see someone adopting a perky attitude or puckering up their lips to make a “kissy” face and trying to snap a picture of themselves. Then, they immediately check the result and if they are not satisfied, pose again with an even cockier attitude.
The most common background you see in these pictures is a bedroom or a bathroom. And I found this very disturbing. Sometimes, I feel that I’m becoming very familiar with some people’s bathroom. Well, don’t get me wrong, I have also done some selfies, but never in a toilet and never pouting my lips.
How has this phenomenon started?
The photographic self-portraits have been around since 1838, when American pioneer of photography Robert Cornelius took a picture of himself outside his family's store in Philadelphia.
However, selfies’ popularity has skyrocketed only after the appearance of the compact digital cameras. The first images tagged as #selfie began appearing on Flickr, the popular photo-sharing site, as early as 2004.
The phenomenon exploded after the introduction of smartphones and it rapidly caught on as a fad among celebrities. But that’s understandable, as such people live entirely in the eye of the camera.
However, not long after, it has also become a trend among regular people as well.
Effects on social culture
The great appeal of selfies comes from how easy they are to create and share, and from the control they give people over the personal image they present online.
However, a recent study conducted by three business schools in Europe found that people who post more selfies have shallow relationships with people and lower levels of personal intimacy.
Moreover, selfies may be an indication of the age of digital narcissism. According to The Best Computer Science Schools, people with higher narcissism levels are frequently updating statuses, posting pictures of themselves and using quotes or mottos in an attempt to glorify themselves.
It’s perfectly fine to show off your new outfit or that you're at a cool event, but this can prove tricky. Psychologist Jill Weber, Ph.D., says that people who post selfies very often may start to associate their self-esteem to the comments and likes they get online, and those comments are only based on their appearance not on what they really are.
Maybe people should ask themselves: Am I addicted to selfies? Do I post them for fun, or for the comments?
What's even worse is that even toddlers are now getting into the selfies craze, and the trend has even reached outer space. In December, a Japanese astronaut took a selfie at the International Space Station which included the sun, the Earth, two portions of a robotic arm, and the deep darkness of the infinite beyond.
This phenomenon has become so popular that the Oxford Dictionaries have named “selfie” as the word of the year in 2013.
I think that whoever started this craze should definitely take a time out, as it is getting out of hand.