The loved and hated Selfie

You know her all too well and from time to time she litters your online screen. The “Selfie Queen” herself. I have been no stranger to taking a selfie here and there, to record a moment, a mood, a point along the journey, a progress, a diary showcased in tiny little squares that are my life.

But is that all there is to these pictures? How are they perceived and could there be more? I have to admit I’ve been guilty of rolling my eyes a few times, especially when one refers to themselves as a model who isn’t one, the “it girl” or the “glam girl.” So why would that be bothersome and invoke such reaction? I think in this case it wasn’t a violation of “live and let live,” it was just the excess of it and too much of a good thing. A difference in perception of what is and what is not. And yet it remains a delicate balance because who is to say what is and isn’t too much? Look at our celebrities and their profiles. We are groomed into thinking that it is normal, that we too need to record our life to have something tangible to show for. Something like a lifetime of selfies and recording the progress. And that reason I actually like and it’s a little like a diary, a memory that will speak for us some day that we were here. I wonder if everyone chooses this to be the reason, but most likely it is impossible…really….

There is no answer that is a one fits all and each case is individual and personal. At times it might come across as vanity, being full – and in love with yourself, trying to show off and the likes. But sometimes the ones who post the most selfies are actually the loneliest of them all. They post not to record the journey, but to get attention. They need the validation from the outside world, an acceptance of fitting in and being liked. Their self worth is measured on that selfie, how many likes it is getting and what the response is from society. Perhaps it is validation that they still got it, a reassurance they are still desired. I think it can hold many different reasons. It could be as innocent as sharing a progress, showing and motivating others by putting a face and image to the story. But whatever it might be, it is personal and our opinions about it is nothing else but judgement towards a person, a situation, a behavior, a mood. Our days are filled with judgements from the morning we get up until we go to rest again. At any given moment we make decisions, pro and cons, likes and dislikes, all based on perception and our individual preferences. There is nothing wrong with it unless we hurt another with our actions. So for today I say “Go ahead and let Selfie Queen have her moment.”