The problem with selfies

 

2013 = the year of the “selfie.”

In case you aren’t familiar with that term, you’re in luck. Merriam Webster officially added the word to the dictionary after the constant usage last year: “a picture you take of yourself.”

If that still doesn’t ring a bell, just check your Facebook or Instagram feed. I’m sure the plethora of smiling and/or duck faces will give you an idea of just how widespread it is.

But, luckily, 2013 has come to an end. And with it (fingers crossed), the “selfie” trend.

I’m so tired of the constant photos clogging up my newsfeed. I don’t care what outfit you wore today. I don’t want to read some sappy unrelated song lyrics as the caption while staring at your face. And I certainly won’t click “like” to give you those 120 likes as your daily confidence booster.

From my perspective, a selfie a day screams “I’m so vain” or “I need attention and/or compliments.”

After all, photos are meant to capture a special moment so you’ll always have a way to remember it. Are you really going to forget what your own face looks like?

Ladies, instead of posting photos as a confidence booster or a way to get attention (which is clearly what it is for some people) why don’t we, as a society, try to fix the fact that (most) females need constant reassurance to begin with? Let’s start building confidence at a younger age, telling those you love that they are beautiful through more than a social media comment, and find new ways to encourage each other.

As for the men, nothing screams desperation like a selfie of yourself without a shirt, flexing in the bathroom mirror. Don’t. Seriously.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I myself have been guilty of the selfie on more than one occasion. I believe there are totally acceptable circumstances when taking said picture is valid, even useful: If you dye your hair from blonde to purple, get your braces off, are standing on top of a mountain, shaved your head, etc., then you clearly are showing off more than just Monday’s hairstyle. You take that selfie proudly, and then you will face fewer questions and remarks from Facebook friends when you see them outside of the computer screen. Let the initial shock wear off from your drastic change by posting that cheese-filled picture.

But if you want to post a daily picture of yourself simply to post a picture of yourself, then can’t you see why that might get a little bothersome to your 500 Facebook friends? Try taking the time to post something more worthy of people seeing. After all, so many people that you interact with through a computer screen only know you through what they see on your social media. Leave a more lasting impression than 100 of the same pictures of your adorable face.

Post about a small act of kindness you witnessed that day, or even some inspirational words that might make someone else’s day. This year, let’s all try to make social media a positive and more useful place to log on to (if that’s even possible). Let’s make it less about ourselves, and more about others.

If there’s nothing I can say to get you off the selfie bandwagon, then please, at least make it funny. If you do it right, selfies can be hilarious: if you want an example, search #SelfieOlympics on Twitter and Instagram and see what I’m talking about. Hours of laughs just from a picture! It has actually turned into a big joke, and the good thing about selfies is that the possibilities are endless. So if you’re gonna do it, at least make it funny or creative and give your followers/cyber friends something to chuckle at.  Make it less vain and more entertaining.

If everything I just wrote had absolutely no impact on you and you are still into selfies on selfies on selfies, you keep doing your thang, girl. But don’t expect to keep all your cyberfriends and followers —especially me.