Keshra Hines, Contributor
Featured image courtesy of Tatiana Prisiajny
In 2014, over 17 million selfies were uploaded to social media each week. Can you imagine 2016?
In a digital-centric world of hyper-sharing and high social networking usership, it seems that we not only actively share content such as viral news and videos, but we are also obsessed with sharing pictures of ourselves.
With over 400 million users on Instagram, and other large numbers for other platforms like Twitter and Facebook, it’s no wonder that taking selfies and sharing them with potentially huge audiences has become such a phenomena. It is clear that these largely visual-based social networking platforms are easily used to satisfy our cultural fascination with the selfie.
Take LinkedIn for example. It’s by far one of the last platforms you’d think to post a selfie on. The professional networking site also encourages the use of photos, albeit professional ones. In fact, LinkedIn’s number one tip to increase profile views is to have a picture. Even on a platform whose main focus is your experience and skills, your photo is one of the most important ways to boost your views.
Often linked to narcissism, attention-seeking, low self-esteem, vanity, and even psychopathy, selfies have been closely associated with negative personality traits in those who take and upload them. In fact, there’s a whole Tumblr account dedicated to re-posting photos of people who take selfies at funerals. Some studies have found that qualities like narcissism are more closely associated with those who spend longer periods of time on social networking sites, and those whose self-esteem is based on their physical appearance and approval from others are more likely to share pictures.
With a plethora of filters and editing apps available, selfies can and are often a vehicle through which one can curate an identity or persona of perfection online, a masqueraded version of who they truly are. Blemishes can be changed, lighting improved, teeth whitened, and hashtags added for the world to see you. The seeming nature of the whole ordeal of taking a bunch of pictures, critiquing them until you find your favourite shot, editing it, then finally uploading it for what seems like an exchange for likes and praise, millennials have gotten a bad rep for our love of selfies.
But are selfies really that bad?
Despite the negative associations selfies and selfie-takers get, what about the positive side of taking selfies? Is it possible for selfies to be seen as a vehicle of empowerment and self-confidence instead?
I’m not an avid selfie-taker myself, but I see a sense of confidence and bravery in the mere uploading of selfies. Whether your confidence is through the roof or you have issues with your self-esteem, the of act of liking a picture of yourself and subsequently allowing potentially millions of people to see and judge you can speak volumes about your confidence.
And what about the elements of misogyny to this whole thing?
Studies have shown that women take more selfies in comparison to men, and unsurprisingly, many of the characteristically “selfie” poses, such as the duck face, are associated with women. Furthermore, across the internet it often seems that it is usually women, and especially young girls, that are criticized for the apparent vainness of their multiple self-portraits.
Women around the world have grown up with societal standards of beauty that are often unachievable. Certain body types, hair (or lack of), facial features, and even skin tone have their hierarchy across cultures. According to research by Dove’s Self-Esteem Project, 72 per cent of girls felt “tremendous pressure to be beautiful,” and six out of 10 girls reported holding back from activities because of their concern with the way they look.
What is a girl to do when she is bombarded with images of photoshopped perfection from fashion and beauty industries, but receives criticism when she tries to embrace her beauty and takes selfies?
While selfies can have negative associations and effects, you can choose to let your selfies be a means to showcase your beauty and build your confidence.
Is your outfit on point? Eyebrows on fleek? Out with your girls having fun? Or just feel like taking a picture of yourself? Well, go ahead!
Although your selfies shouldn’t be a way to constantly seek outside validation from others, they also don’t have to be a bad thing. Try forgetting the self-criticism and excessive time spent swiping through filters and instead let your selfies speak of your confidence from within. Let them be the means through which you learn to love yourself and appreciate the beauty in others.
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