Imagine if smartphones with cameras did not exist. Would selfies still be as common as they are today? |
The invention of the smartphone with a camera marked the beginning of the modern selfie phenomenon, and it is undeniable that without these devices, the trend would not be as popular as it is today. However, this does not mean that I believe that selfies would not exist at all without the creation of the smartphone.
The present smartphone can be used to take photos, surf the web and communicate through call and text, combining the abilities of a camera, computer and phone within a device with a screen size of around 3.3 inches. In the past it was an unthinkable device, however now many of us take it for granted. 'Selfies' of the past were taken in various ways using various forms of technology. Before cameras people would get painters to paint portraits, and although this does not fit the present day definition of 'selfie' it still had the same purpose - a certain person commissioning someone to visually capture a moment in time. Timers on cameras allowed people to take photos, and be in it too. And there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the mirror selfie existed long before the smartphone, with people taking pictures of themselves on the reflected surface with cameras. Majority of the selfies on the internet are taken by a phone, as it is easy to alter the image and upload it to social media. A wide variety of apps dedicated for the sole purpose of editing selfies are available on the App Store, Play Store and Ovi store allow phone users across platforms to easily alter their appearance to become more beautiful. After the editing, the 3 click process of uploading images to social media allows for the easy sharing and updating on one's life. People may feel compelled to take selfies and post them online, to be amongst the billions of photos that are shared and liked on social media and to gain follows - which can be misinterpreted to be a form of social love and acceptance, and is a leading cause of technology addiction, particularly amongst teens. Without smartphones we would still have selfies, but less of them, and there would not be many cases of internet addiction or selfie related deaths as these societal issues have only come to be after the beginning of the selfie phenomenon. |
If the selfie trend continues to grow at its current rate, what could happen in the future? |
Although the first selfie was taken in 1839, it can be thought that the modern trend only began in the 2010s, due to the rapid increase in selfies, particularly those posted on the internet through social media and other sites. The Oxford Dictionary named the term ‘Selfie’ as Word of the Year in 2013 after its frequency of use increased by around 17,000% over the span of a year. It is likely that if the trend continues to grow at the rate it is today, societal issues may rise in the future.
I believe that selfie addiction is the worst issue that we may encounter. The condition is a strong compulsion to take pictures of themselves, and in most cases the desire to take a ‘perfect selfie’, when in reality no such thing exists. This desire is likely to be the reason that other medical conditions that have been linked to it. Technology and social media addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder are just some of the multiple ailments that have been proven to be associated with excessive selfie taking. Without treatment during the early stages of these diseases can lead to deadly consequences to the mental and physical health of sufferers. The desire to achieve perfection is not only present in selfie addicts, with a surge in cosmetic surgery rates across the world increasing after the phenomenon established itself. The USA established itself with the highest plastic surgery rates in the world, having around 4 million people go under the knife or needle to change their appearance. There is no problem with doing so, however there are hundreds of cases where the surgery has gone painfully wrong leaving people disfigured features and cashless. On the other hand, some people become so obsessed with becoming beautiful through artificial means that they get addicted to plastic surgery and often become just as disfigured as those who go through bad surgeons. Our attitudes towards perfection and beauty is further reflected in our social media. Today, people judge their peers by the number of likes, follows and shares their pictures and selfies get on social media and it is more likely that this will continue rather than stop. This 'online popularity contest’ often leads to cyberbullying, one of the big issues of the 21st century. In Australia, 1 in 5 children have experienced cyberbullying with the impact on those bullied ranging from dropping out of school to committing suicide. The technological aspect of selfies makes taking them a possible victim to the scrutiny and nasty opinions of others. Perceptions of beauty will also change as globalisation affects the way we take selfies, with social media and the internet having a significant influence. Although today we have a diverse range of beauty standards, it is probable that as our cultures assimilate, eventually we will only view a certain set of features as beautiful, particularly those of famous celebrities. Selfies can be taken in two ways - safely and recklessly. If taken safely and with good intentions they are fun and a good memory. But if they are taken recklessly they can have negative effects on society, which can lead to physical and mental harm. For this purpose, it is necessary for awareness of how to take safe selfies must be spread in order to prevent issues that can arise from the growing selfie trend. |