It's not all about the self(ie)

I have to admit, that while creating this board that oddly terrible song #SELFIE kept jumping into my head (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdemFfbS5H0It). It is a superficial, comedic song that attempts to portray the extreme sense of narcissism that can be linked to social media and of course the #selfie.

The selfie, a self generated photograph, has increased in popularity as technology (smart phones/camera phones) has made self image capturing easier and more socially acceptable.

While the term ‘selfie’ is relatively new, and even recognized as the 2013 word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries, the societal desire to capture portraits and snapshots of moments in time is not.

According to Rutledge, “a selfie is the documentation of a passing moment, not a larger expression.” This statement resonated with me in the way that I think it speaks to many aspects of photography and visual media beyond just the selfie. The act of taking a photo, on a non-commercial basis, is typically motivated by the desire to capture a moment in time or a memory. Birthday’s, vacations and celebrations are frequently documented by photos and even portraits, that create a sense of historical context rather than self-indulgence. This had me wondering if it is the ‘selfie’ that represents the self-indulgence or the way in which it is shared that creates a sense of social dependence. An interesting avenue to explore in Assignment #2 perhaps.

While there is often a negative association with the selfie, Katz brought forward some interesting concepts around using this social tool effectively and for the greater good. The use of signs and posters to generate attention has long been part of cultural norms and the selfie is no different. “Posting a photo of yourself with a message makes a bugger statement than simply tweeting a hashtag or anonymously signing a petition,” (2014).

The Pinterest Board I have created focuses on highlighting a few of the ways selfies can be used in a more positive light with relation to larger context as well as simple moments in time.

Follow Jaylene's board #Selfie on Pinterest.

Lauren Katz, (May 2014). “Say it with a Selfie: Protesting in the Age of Social Media,” http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/05/10/311143584/say­it­with­a­selfie­protesting­in­the­age­of­social­media

Rutledge, P., (2014). “Making Sense of Selfies,” Psychology Today, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/positively­media/201307/making­sense­selfies

http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2013/11/word-of-the-year-2013-winner/