A girl next to me at the grocery store the other day had on the cutest yellow dress. She’d braided her hair in an intricate crown around her head and her winged eyeliner was on point. In short, she looked awesome. Four seconds into our wait, she smiled at her phone and snapped a selfie. The guy behind her rolled his eyes and may have even muttered something about the growing narcissism of the “selfie generation.” I mean, I didn’t exactly hear him, but he totally looked grumpy enough.
It’s an observation I’ve heard and read about a lot lately. Some people equate selfies with being vain and narcissistic. Given the way these articles talk about people snapping pictures of their faces all day, it’s easy to see why selfies are associated with the self-absorbed. But people who frown every time they see someone take a picture of themselves are missing the point.
…cries of narcissism lurk in the comments section…
Taking a selfie and sharing it is, first and foremost, an act of self-love. It’s a moment you wanted to preserve, a day you felt confidence in your appearance. Group selfies capture close friendships—quite literally, with everyone crowding to get in frame. Solo selfies capture happiness and self-confidence. Call me crazy, but these sound like feelings worth celebrating.
Posting a selfie on social media is the traditional next step. Here again, cries of narcissism and vanity lurk in the comments section. By sharing a moment in which you felt confident, you pass on a message of confidence to your friends and followers. And don’t stop at your own selfies. Appreciating the beauty that others feel in themselves is just as important. My best friends are gorgeous and live far away: their selfies never fail to brighten my mood. Let the moments when other women felt good inspire you to see beauty in others. It can only lead to seeing beauty in yourself.
Taking a selfie and sharing it is, first and foremost, an act of self-love.
Sharing selfies does more than just give you a confidence boost, though. By papering the Internet with mostly unedited images of women, the selfie trend is the first step in reversing what Photoshopped advertisements have done.
Instead of preying on women’s insecurities, selfies thrive on our confidence. The influx of women feeling good and sharing the feeling with their friends spreads a positive message across a medium traditionally used for body shaming. It’s the first step towards tossing aside Photoshopped beauty ideals and embracing self-confidence instead.
The best way to contribute to the movement is to take genuine selfies in moments when you feel beautiful or happy. Don’t self-objectify by Photoshopping or hyper-sexualizing your selfies to match magazine models. Don’t use selfies to get likes and combat your insecurity. It is possible to go overboard, so make sure that you’re not flooding your Instagram or letting selfie-snapping take over every moment. Instead, make sure that every selfie you take and share is one that celebrates a feeling of happiness, confidence, and love. Enjoying those moments is the first step to building more happiness, confidence, and love in every aspect of your life.
Make sure that every selfie you take and share is one that celebrates a feeling of happiness, confidence, and love.
Selfies are hardly a new trend: people have been getting in front of cameras for a long time (and, before the camera, commissioning portraits of themselves). But never has it been more important. Those who cry “Narcissist!” when they see someone holding their phone out at arm’s length and smiling don’t understand the importance of the movement. It’s more than just the moment you feel cute, though that is the foundation. It’s about spreading self-love and celebrating the beauty in you. What could be more worthwhile than that?
What prompts you to take a selfie and share it?
I don’t think there is anything wrong with selfies or wanting to capture every moment! ?
Approval seeking. Confidence boosting. Ego massaging. Sexual advertising. Pretty sure all those things were around before the devices used, just with social media a lifetimes worth of payoff for any of the motives can be achieved in a matter of minutes or hours .
My daughter takes a lot of selfies but I don’t have a problem with it. Take as many selfies as you want.
Selfies is a weird thing… no one in my family can’t understand why I would take a picture of myself haha it seems really strange to them… but that’s a different generation. Everything changes… I’m not obsessed with taking Selfies but I do take them sometimes. No big deal haha
oh come on! who doesn’t love a selfie! i love selfies! but i try not to post too many at a time lol
Actually I’m glad people are becoming more confident, and for a lot of people its about a brand, and it sucks having to be self conscious about sharing your social media and having to think someone will judge you for taking too many pics of yourself.
I don’t think there should be any shame in people having the confidence to post a selfie. It takes a lot to be able to put yourself out there on sites such as instagram, and if anything we should be encouraging people to feel good in themselves.
Yes so so true!! People see it as so vain and I feel like I’m always thinking what other people think of me, but honestly who cares?? You feel good and that’s all that matters!!?
Who cares, post a selfie if it makes you happy. I know I love taking pictures after I get ready and have a bold lipstick on, it makes me so happy!!
Only people that feel they have no identity feel the need to have it confirmed by 1000 friends on facebook. And only people that feel they dont exist feel the need to show themselves to everyone. Current social media like facebook and twitter is promoting the mental degradation of an entire society.
Selfies in our generation are not a bad thing. I don’t understand why they get such a bad wrap. A little self love is a great thing 🙂