The Selfie: Shameless Promotion or Self-Destruction?

Humans need and crave attention, it's a part of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs which pertain to the basic needs of a person. People want attention, they want to feel confident, accepted and they have a need to feel wanted. I think today people are placing the need for acceptance in all the wrong places: social media. To me, social media is just an illusion of acceptance.

The Selfie.

Several months ago I thought it was just a slang word, a sort of a joke. I was seeing all of my social media sites taken over by selfies, pictures that people take of themselves. Getting ready for school? Perfect time for a selfie. Girl time at the pool? Let's take a selfie. Hitting the gym for a quick workout? Well you can't prove it unless you take a selfie at the gym right? 

In 2013, the Oxford Dictionary named "selfie" the official 2013 word of the year, and that's because they are everywhere.

I am all for self-confidence and accepting yourself. I have taken selfies myself, but I really have an issue with people, especially women and young girls, attempting to fulfill a need for confidence and acceptance through a picture placed on social media sites.  

What gives me the right to talk?

I've been there. As a teenager and into my early 20's, I dabbled in print modeling. I did photoshoots, and part of it was because I was trying to find acceptance through my physical appearance. I wanted someone to tell me I was pretty. I didn't really find it, even if they did give me compliments. It didn't cover the void I was trying so hard to desperately fill.

I've learned that you are so much more than the photoshopped picture you take and post just to see how many likes, shares, retweets and favorites you receive from your "social media friends/followers." I by no means believe that selfies are bad, or even professional photos, I just think people, especially young girls place too much value on a picture that's been enhanced through an Instagram filter. I think we're looking for self-actualization and gratification with one angled shot, and life and your personality cannot be represented that easy.

You are so much more than that.

You are worth more than any picture. One picture cannot show everything about you. Selfies allow you to be seen through that one lens, thus opening yourself up for to be judged by others. While you're searching for that instant approval through an Instagram or Facebook "like," life is happening around you.

I find it disturbing that there are many "games" online that teenagers use to communicate with each other, where they place so much vulnerability on one single shot. I've seen young teens rate each other and critique each other's looks on social media sites as a game they play out of boredom. They don't realize the possible destruction they are putting each other through. 

Dove's global self esteem ambassador, Jess Weiner weighs in selfies in her recent talk with the fashion site, Refinery29 as reported by Kim Tranell:

“There’s a lot of self-editing going on. Many women and girls who are shy use selfies to portray themselves as a different character. It can be dangerous if you’re spending too much time judging yourself on your beauty and focusing on judgment of others, not just capturing a moment in time.”

So are selfies really that bad?

 I don't think there is anything wrong in a little self-promotion here and there, but I don't think young women should be basing their entire self worth one on single picture. 

So readers, what are your thoughts on the infamous "selfie?" Shameless Promotion, or Self-Destruction?

Myself, selfie around age 17.