Hollywood stars got in the act during this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
By Deirdre Porter
Writer and Lifestyle Blogger
The self-portrait or ‘selfie’ has been a global phenomenon since the introduction of smartphones. Is this new craze a simple form of self-expression or the sign of a narcissistic ‘Generation Me,’ hell bent on destroying the English language?
We’re all guilty of taking selfies. I’m guilty, in fact most of my profile pictures are taken by the one and only ‘me.’
It all starts with a certain angle. Your phone tilted at 45 degrees just above your eye-line is generally the norm.
Then, a flattering light and impressive backdrop, or a burst of flash reflected in a bathroom mirror, as we let the world know we’re planning a big night out.
The pose is crucial. An obvious self-awareness usually conveyed by the slight raise of an eyebrow and a lop-sided smile that says you’re trying not to take it seriously.
Pope Francis has even posed for a “selfie.”
A blank stare and messed-up hair highlights natural beauty, as if you’ve just woken up and can’t help looking like this.
Sexy is suggested by sucked-in cheeks, pouting lips, and an accidental flash of flesh below the neckline.
Then comes the filter. Colours are softened, outlines are blurred and suddenly a vintage filter soaks through to imply teleportation back to a 70’s era.
All of this in an instant. And with a single tap you are ready to ‘upload’ with a self-referential hashtag to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
There you have it. Your image is liked, tagged, shared and retweeted. Your screen fills up with thumbs-up and heart-shaped emoticons.
Suddenly, you feel an overwhelming shiver of – what is it exactly? Confidence? Reassurance? Self-inflicted happiness?
Whatever it is, it’s addictive. Soon, you’ll repeat the entire process again with a new pose and a new outfit. Offering yourself up…..for public consumption. Taking a risk and opening the door to criticism but hoping for positive reinforcement and love.
US President Barack Obama, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and British Prime Minister David Cameron share a “selfie” at the memorial service to Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg.
‘Selfie’ was the Oxford English Dictionary’s ‘word of the year 2013’ and without a doubt, the Internet has fed this flame of self-indulgence.
For some, humility is an unfamiliar word, but what exactly is the motivation behind all this self-obsession? Are selfies making us narcissistic? Are we the new ‘Generation Me’? Some pop culture experts seem to think so.
New York public relations and pop culture writer Mario Almonte says “We are living in a culture of people who are very much involved in themselves and becoming a culture of self- indulgence.
When they turn that camera on themselves they believe they are important and interesting.
One look at Instagram justifies this with over 100 million selfies posted with the hashtag #me.
As for hashtags, does this mean the end of the English language? Labelled by many as ‘linguistic tumours’ I must admit, they annoy me immensely.
The colloquial hashtag has evolved from its initial use as a sorting tool and become more irritating than those lazy image memes where etiquette is optional.
They are being used without rules, sense or intelligence, a complete insult to the grace of our mother language, permeating the Internet in the form of ironic ‘metadata.’
Beyond all of this self-obsession, the judicious use of selfies can be worthwhile, seen recently in the global campaign for Cancer Research.
The Social Media trend #nomakeupselfie and #cancerawareness raised millions in the space of 48 hours. Many wonder if this is narcissism masked as charity, but as long as people donate, who really cares.
The selfie trend has become prominent enough to begin influencing society and affecting individuals.
Deirdre Porter.
Psychologists state that selfies are the extension of ‘innate human tendencies into the Internet age.’
Unconsciously, we all seek validation from others, while comparing ourselves to those around us. Posting a selfie to see the reactions from your friends – while trying to look better than everyone else – is only natural.
Is there seriously anybody out there that would relinquish the ability to be beautiful, silly, comical (depending on the intent) in every picture?
No, probably not. And I don’t think this necessarily makes us vain, shallow, concietted or exhibitionists either. Wanting to be seen as you see yourself sounds like a very human need to me.
Don’t be afraid to turn the camera around, I just hope that YOU like what YOU see, because that’s all that matters.
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