We all have that one friend. The one who makes you stand in the hot sun so they can take advantage of the glories of golden hour. The one who refuses to eat their taco without first snapping a selfie of them mid-bite. The one who can’t go shopping without documenting their changing-room chronicles through a flood of mirror selfies, showing the world what they **almost** purchased. These people have all mastered the art of loving their selfie.
A selfie is a quick flick of yourself, taken by yourself, usually of your face or upper body. They have gained momentum in this digital age, I believe, because of how easily they can be taken. The only person you need to take a good selfie, is yourself, and these pictures can be taken anywhere and everywhere.
Perhaps it is because of their convenience that selfies have gained a bad reputation throughout the years. This, combined with the nightmare that was the duck face phenomenon painted selfies as nothing more than a widespread show of narcissism.
While this may be the case for some people, this is not the case for everyone. For some, selfies are how they learned to love themselves. When you’re surrounded by people who don’t look like you flooded into every form of media possible, it can be incredibly easy to become self conscious of your looks. With the use of selfies, people of all ages, shapes, sizes and colors can take matters into their own hands. By simply snapping a picture of themselves and posting it online, people of color and other marginalized communities can instantly increase diversity in online spaces, and encourage others who feel misrepresented to do the same. Even if it is in the form of a selfie, if I rarely see myself represented in the media, I’m going to feel more “seen” when scrolling down my Instagram feed and seeing pictures of minorities who look just like me.
While this may be the case for some people, this is not the case for everyone. For some, selfies are how they learned to love themselves. When you’re surrounded by people who don’t look like you flooded into every form of media possible, it can be incredibly easy to become self conscious of your looks. With the use of selfies, people of all ages, shapes, sizes and colors can take matters into their own hands. By simply snapping a picture of themselves and posting it online, people of color and other marginalized communities can instantly increase diversity in online spaces, and encourage others who feel misrepresented to do the same. Even if it is in the form of a selfie, if I rarely see myself represented in the media, I’m going to feel more “seen” when scrolling down my Instagram feed and seeing pictures of minorities who look just like me.
Furthermore, selfies can be a major confidence booster. As Instagrammer Emily describes in BBC’s piece on selfies, when you are feeling good about yourself and how you look, you want to share it with the world. Even if you are feeling down about your appearance, by snapping a selfie and posting it on platforms like Instagram, the chances are very high of someone liking the picture or commenting a positive affirmation, which can end up boosting your self esteem. Thus, whether the confidence comes from yourself or other people, a quick selfie can make you feel a lot better than you think. By normalizing the use of selfies, you can normalize this idea of feeling comfortable looking at yourself at close angles and accepting all your flaws for who you are.
At the end of the day, selfies are a quick form of communication. By snapping a picture of you in a suit, you can let people know you are on your way to to work. By snapping a picture of you in front of a stage, you can let people know you are at a concert. Words aren’t always necessary because the selfie does all the talking for you. Thus, selfies are only increasing our efficiency in terms of communication, which is only a sign of progression. I will admit that there is a time and place for everything, and that every occasion is not keen for communicating with the use of a selfie. For example, funerals are probably not the best time to whip out your camera. However, this is a matter of sensitivity and knowing how to behave accordingly to your environment, not a valid reason to abandon selfies as a whole. As long as you’re selfie doesn’t purposely offend someone else, or isn’t disrespectful in nature, then by all means go for it.
The selfie does all the talking for you.
For me, selfies are also the perfect way to build a brand for yourself. What’s an easier way to promote the face of your own brand online than to share endless pictures of your own face? In my vlog (below), I discuss further how selfies can help you build an online presence. In this vlog, I discuss how selfies can help you build a name for yourself online. Especially within the app of Instagram, selfies can be utilized as a tool of brand building and entrepreneurship, maybe even helping you make money.
Whether it be through empowerment, brand building or simply quicker communication, a selfie is a way to share the human experience while building confidence in the way that you look. A selfie means being proud in the person looking back at you through the camera, and being unashamed to share that pride with the world.
Furthermore, selfies can be a major confidence booster. As Instagrammer Emily describes in BBC’s piece on selfies, when you are feeling good about yourself and how you look, you want to share it with the world. Even if you are feeling down about your appearance, by snapping a selfie and posting it on platforms like Instagram, the chances are very high of someone liking the picture or commenting a positive affirmation, which can end up boosting your self esteem. Thus, whether the confidence comes from yourself or other people, a quick selfie can make you feel a lot better than you think. By normalizing the use of selfies, you can normalize this idea of feeling comfortable looking at yourself at close angles and accepting all your flaws for who you are.
At the end of the day, selfies are a quick form of communication. By snapping a picture of you in a suit, you can let people know you are on your way to to work. By snapping a picture of you in front of a stage, you can let people know you are at a concert. Words aren’t always necessary because the selfie does all the talking for you. Thus, selfies are only increasing our efficiency in terms of communication, which is only a sign of progression. I will admit that there is a time and place for everything, and that every occasion is not keen for communicating with the use of a selfie. For example, funerals are probably not the best time to whip out your camera. However, this is a matter of sensitivity and knowing how to behave accordingly to your environment, not a valid reason to abandon selfies as a whole. As long as you’re selfie doesn’t purposely offend someone else, or isn’t disrespectful in nature, then by all means go for it.
The selfie does all the talking for you.
For me, selfies are also the perfect way to build a brand for yourself. What’s an easier way to promote the face of your own brand online than to share endless pictures of your own face? In my vlog (below), I discuss further how selfies can help you build an online presence.
Whether it be through empowerment, brand building or simply quicker communication, a selfie is a way to share the human experience while building confidence in the way that you look. A selfie means being proud in the person looking back at you through the camera, and being unashamed to share that pride with the world.
Featured image via pexels.
nyah terrilyn 