The selfie has become the latest craze, thanks to smart phones. Yet, in my opinion it is also the most annoying thing one can do, though not as annoying as sharing pictures of ultrasounds and babies. However, political rants can be also more annoying than selfies. Nonetheless, selfies are annoying one way or another, and yes, they are at the top of my list of most exasperating things.
I fail to understand why people are so obsessed with taking selfies, so I decided to do some research on it and here’s what I found: According to scientific findings, the selfie is an expression of one’s ego. By taking one’s picture doing various things in different environment, the selfie taker is asking for attention from his or her social group. Be it at the gym working out; behind the wheel of a sports car or taking a selfie on the beach – wearing that very skinny bikini. The selfie is a cry for attention and acknowledgement. Selfies that are explicit in nature are also shared widely on the internet – most notably instagram and facebook –instead of being safeguarded with a gallery lock.
According to multiple university findings in Europe, the selfie is the worst amongst photographs. The study found that people who are obsessed with selfies often have the shallowest relationships with others. As a selfie is an obsession with oneself. In a nutshell, a selfie is all about me and not others. In another survey conducted by Facebook, selfie takers were asked to rate their closeness to friends and family members. Surprisingly, those who took more selfies were less emotionally close to family and friends. The study further confirmed that selfie takers are more likely to be self-obsessed ego maniacs.
Besides close friends and family members, other people are likely to despise selfie takers, especially if they are frequently sharing selfies on social media. Even though the selfie could be meant for close friends and family members, friends of friends and friends of family members will be able to look at those selfies, as social media can act as an excellent source for spreading selfies. Consequently, everyone will have a different opinion on what think about a particular photo, though most would not take a liking.
If these scientific findings are not enough to convince someone, imagine the time a person wasted just trying to take that perfect selfie. Women more than men, are likely to take more selfies. They will spend more time making sure their hair looks good, or their makeup is just perfect before snapping that camera. Another scientific study found that women rely on others to acknowledge their beauty – they cannot judge themselves or assess their own self-worth, so they turn to selfies for others to acknowledge their beauty and elegance.
Women and especially teens need to understand that they do not need to depend on selfies for attention. They just need to be themselves and shouldn’t have to seek other’s approval. No matter what happens, the selfie can also give your false assurances, as those who hate you from the inside may like your picture – so it’s a false acknowledgement. Not to mention you are also making a mockery of yourself by taking selfies in a weird and unusual places doing weird and unusual things.
Summary:
If you are obsessive over selfies, please stop. Not only are you wasting your time, you are also being pathetic.