Date post: | 27-Aug-2014 |
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- The sociological impact of -
selfiesPresented by Sylvester Chiang
Photo by Dan Morris – Creative Common License – via Flickr
Selfie (also selfy)Noun -informalA photograph
that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website. Photo by John Keogh
Creative Common LicenseVia Flickr
Selfie won Word of the Year 2013 according to the Oxford dictionary, earning the prestigious title along with words such as:
unfriendsudokugifomnishamblesPhoto by Telmo32 – Creative Common License – via Flickr
• 1 million selfies taken everyday• 31 million instagram photos have been
hashtagged #selfie• 91% of teenagers have posted a photo of
themselves online• Selfies make up 30% of photos taken between
the ages of 18-24
SELFIE STATS
Photo by Jim Bumgardner – Creative Commons License – via Flickr
Some people feel that selfies are a product of our generation, but in the context of history, self-portraiture is not something particularly new.
Photo by Roel Wijnats – Creative Common License – via Flickr
Self-portraits have existed for centuries across many cultures.
Famous artists including Andy Warhol, Vincent van Gogh and Jan van Eyck have all created famous works of self-portraiture. Painting by Van Gogh – Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear
The Difference?
Nowadays with the advent of the portable camera and smart phones and tablets, self-portraiture is much more convenient of a task, being only a simple click away. Social media also has changed the way we share these images, since by definition, it is not a selfie unless it is uploaded for others to see.
Photo by Abd Allah Foteih – Creative Common License via Flickr
With this rise in popularity and prominence, selfies are creating a muchLarger impacton society than previously thought possible.
Photo by ThomasCreative Common LicenseVia Flickr
Selfies are often demonized as a faucet for narcissism, gaining popularity only by the merit of one’s aesthetics. And in fact…
Photo by Camilla Soares – Creative Common License – via Flickr
According to surveys, 55% of adolescent females say that overall, social media makes them more self-conscious about their appearance.
58% say that seeing photos of people living more glamorous lives make them feel bad about themselves.
Selfies are changing the way people see themsleves
Photo by Dia Creative Common License via Flickr
Selfies alienate friends.
The University of Birmingham found that there exists a “clear link between sharing self-portraits and feeling of decreased relationship quality among the poster’s peers”.
Photo by Zoomar – Creative Commons License – via Flickr
Also, based on a recent report by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), one in three plastic surgeons surveyed received an increase in procedures due to patients being dissatisfied with their self-images on social media. As well, more than half of the surgeons were reported to have seen an increase in patients under the age of 30, which may correlate with the prevalence of social media usage in the younger demographics.
Selfies encourage plastic surgery…
Photo by Julie Kertesz – Creative Commons License via Flickr
To that end however the report by the AAFPRS only contacted 69 surgeons on Survey Monkey, asking them if they felt like they saw an increase in patients due to social media. Not exactly conclusive results.
… apparently
However dubious the study though, the possibility still stands.
Photo by Brian Talbot – Creative Common License – via Flickr
On the
flip side:
According to a body image survey, 65% of teenage girls are said that selfies help boost their confidence.
Photo by Kevin Meredith – Creative Common License – via Flickr
Selfie StudiesSelfies also stand to have significance in sociological research. Selfiecity is an inter-university project created to investigate the style of self-portraits in five cities across the world, including Bangkok, Berlin, Moscow, New York and Sao Paolo.
Photo by Nicolas Raymond – Creative Common License Attribution 3.0 Unported - http://freestock.ca/flags_maps_g80-world_map__abstract_acrylic_p2970.html
They measured things like which cities had the greatest head tilt to which cities smiled the most.
Photo by John Ragai – Creative Commons Liense – via Flickr
Their findings included:On average, menwho take selfiesare olderWomen’s selfies are more Expressive than men’speople in Moscow don’t smile much
Photo by Sarah van Quickelberge – Creative Common License – via Flickr
Alex Chacon also spent more than 600 days abroad taking selfies along the way, raising money for Children of Uganda.
Photo by Alex Chacon – via Youtube
SO WHAT?
So selfies aren’t just an act of blatant narcissism. They can have a personal and cultural impact.
Photo by Chris Ford – Creative Common License – via Flickr
Next time just remember everyone else is just putting
their best self forward
So feel free to do the same!
Sources Cited“A new report says selfies are causing young women to get more plastic surgery. Here’s why it’s wrong.” Washington Post
“Selfie-esteem: Teens say selfies give a confidence boost” Today Health
“The Good, the Bad, and the Unexpected Consequences of Selfie Obsession” Teen Vogue
“Annual AAFPRS Survey Finds ‘Selfie’ Trend Incrases Demand for Facial Plastic Surgery” PR Newswire
“How Your Friends Really Feel About Your Selfies” Women’s Health
www.selfiecity.net
“The Year of the Selfie” Media Bistro Nalini Prasanna – Creative Common License – via Flickr
The endThanks for reading!