Selfie Nation

           We go through our daily routines without even stepping back and realizing the effects of technology on our culture. How did selfies become a national phenomenon and how did such a thing become so widely controversial through society? I find it interesting how attitudes about selfies can differ so dramatically between individuals. Are selfies a reflection of self-confidence and admiration? Or are they used because of low self-confidence and the need for social acceptance? It is interesting to look at how culture is changing from the new forms of technology and how culture is “normalizing” this idea of a selfie for women, but men are still not on the bandwagon.

            I have no strong opinions on selfies, but I do not post selfies of myself. The only selfie I have posted was one of me and a naked cat and I found it justifiable to post such a picture because I found it humorous and thought that others would as well. When I posted it on Instagram on Sunday, (selfie Sunday) I immediately thought that those who knew me would obviously take it as a joke but I also did not try to make myself look extremely bad. I did not have make up on, and I was smiling so I found it okay to post on my social media site, hoping that others would not judge me for taking a selfie. But after I posted the image I found myself constantly engaging in thoughts about myself. For example I hoped everyone would know it was a joke, I hope people don’t think I’m one of those “typical” girls who post selfies all the time, I even thought that if I did not get enough likes on the photo that I would never post a selfie again. So I sat back and realized that all this underneath emotional processing was definitely not a good thing, and it wasn’t as if I was embarrassed of myself, or thought I looked bad, or even that I wanted to promote how I looked, my main concern was that I would be judged as a “typical” girl. And I knew this was completely wrong of me. Who cares if I do one act that is typically known as a girly characteristic? And what if men were to take selfies and post them would they also be scared to be called feminine or would they be funny for doing so? I think it all depends on the content of the selfie. But my main concern is why this concept of a selfie is given so much thought, and does everyone who posts selfies ask themselves these questions about how they are being perceived? I think part of these questions is what our guest speaker was trying to explain.

            I thought our guest speaker’s research was extremely interesting regarding the evolution of selfies and the uses of the selfies among individuals. Her research was engaging because I never thought of a selfie as a form of self-esteem/confidence. I have always thought that women who post selfies do so in order to promote their own beauty. But until I stepped back and thought about my own experience with a selfie did I realize how much thought is actually given to a single image. I found her research on narcissism and self-confidence extremely relevant to the lives of many individuals that surround me. I think the main take away that I got from her research was that individuals vastly differ when it comes to opinions and attitudes among social media and selfies are just another addition to the controversial lifestyle of media.

            After engaging in the lecture I started to think about how others view selfies. I find it most interesting how much variation there is on this topic between women. Some women post selfies multiple times a week, and some never do. Some women think selfies are self-promoting and embarrassing, and some think it is a great way to express yourself. What makes women feel so differently towards this and why does that matter? Does demographics have to do with it? Or maybe a male peers or boyfriends influence the way women perceive them? I know from personal experience that my boyfriend is not very fond of women posting selfies, so maybe that’s why I think a selfie is more acceptable if it has humor attached. But I also know that my peers from high school never really took selfies so maybe I have that instilled in my mind as well. I also think there is a large difference between selfies of just yourself and selfies of you with other individuals. Once other individuals are added to the picture I feel as if it is more of a community statement, then a focus on the self.

            Selfies and attitudes towards them is just another instance showing how much individuals differ, and how a single concept can have vast opinions associated with it. Just like many other social technological advantages, there is always going to be multiple opinions on a single subject, which is completely normal. But it is important to understand how these attitudes towards a concept effect the individuals engaging, because if there is a great amount of emotional distress over a topic such as the selfie, then it would be helpful to understand where the distress comes from and how to avoid those negative self-perceptions. I think our guest speaker is conducting the right research on selfies because instead of focusing on WHY individuals differ on this subject, she is discussing the effects and emotional ties within the subject, which I believe is the right research for the larger picture when talking about individuals’ social health. It is interesting how such a small social concept can turn into such a large controversial phenomenon. But seriously, who would want to be like Kim Kardashian and pay an individual thousands of dollars to be on standby for when you takes a selfie? (she actually does have an individual who does that for her, but where was he for this one)

 

Day, Elizabeth. (2013) How selfies became a Global Phenomenon. The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/14/how-selfies-became-a-global-phenomenon.