Society's obsession with selfies is driven by our desire for attention and validation from others on social media. We curate selfies to portray an edited version of ourselves, using filters and poses to look our best. While selfies allow us to control how we present ourselves online, they also reflect our need for approval and how social media has strengthened the impact of others on our self-image and self-worth. The rise of apps that make sharing photos easy has led to an intensification of the selfie phenomenon and our constant need for online connection, even if only superficial.

1. #selfie
Society’s Obsession With The Self!
Image: Flickr; Klaas/KJGuch.com!
By Hannah Carver!

2. Selfie:taking a picture of !oneself,
usually with the intention to!
post on!social media.
Source: Jillian McHugh; ‘Selfies’ just as much for the insecure as show-offs!
Image: Flickr; claireclinch

3. So… whytake a selfie?!
Image: Flickr; byls

4. Source: Christine Erickson; The Psychology of the Selfie!
! ! ! ! Image: Flcikr; kata rokkar!
“Loneliness and!
desperation for attention!
“are crucial ingredients.!
- Chelsea Peretti

5. We are prisoners in a !
of our own devising, and there is!
glamorama panopticon
no escape.
Image: Google; gossipextra.com !
Source: Troy Patterson; A gentleman’s guide to the selfie.!

6. Image: Flickr; Wes Head!
“activities”.
Our societyhas made it acceptable!
to partake in these!

7. “It’s more about!
about ourselves.”!
Image: Flcikr; Trisha Weir!
Source: Jillian McHugh; ‘Selfies’ just as much for the insecure as show-offs

8. We pull faces, angle cameras,!
and add filters to distort our image. !
Image: Flcikr; sept23(:!

9. But is it !
healthy?
Image: Flcikr; epSos.de!

10. “The selfie is narcissistic
but only in the sense!
it’s showing something about!
yourself.”!
- Dr. Tama Leaver
Image: Flickr; CaseyCrowleyPhotography!
Source: Jillian McHough; ‘Selfie’ just as much for the insecure as show-offs!

11. Image: Flcikr; d o l f I!
Source: Christine Erickson; The Psychology of the Selfie!
The “looking-glass self” is a psychological concept!
that suggests we develop our sense of self
based on the perceptions of those we interact with.!
- Dr. Andrea Letamendi

12. With apps like Snapchat, Instagram,
and Facebook allowing instant ability to
share, there is no halting the selfie
obsession.!
Image: Flickr; mhdbadi

13. The most popular form for sharing images on social media!
is via Facebook.!
93% of people choose this option.!
Image: MorgueFile; Karpati Gabor!
Source: Jillian McHugh; ‘Sellfies’ just as much for the insecure as show-offs!

14. Image: Flickr; Florin Hatmanu!
Source: Jillian Mchugh; ‘Selfies just as much for insecure as show-offs!
“Instagram has become!
more popular and I do think!
the ability to manipulate
photos very easily plays a role.”!
- Dr. Tama Leaver

15. Image: Flickr; sdeborja!
Source: Sherry Turkle; The Flight From Conversation
Posting lets us present !
the self!we want to be.
This means we can edit.!
And if we wish to,!
we can delete.!
Or retouch: the voice, the flesh, the body.!
Not too much,!
Not too little,!
Just Right.

16. Image: Flickr; Heatseeker1!
Source: Shelly Turkle; The Flight from Conversation
In the silence of connection,!
people are comforted by being in touch
with a lot of people!- carefully kept at bay.!
We can’t get enough of one another!
if we can use technology to keep one another!
at distances we can control.!

17. Image: MorgueFile MaxStreaton!
Which many people are now coining !
the term “Goldilocks Effect”
Not too close, not too far…!
Just Right.

18. Image: Flickr; Kolby Schnellu!
Source: Christine Erickson; The Psychology of the Selfie!
“Now that we can interact with hundreds!
no, thousands
of people simultaneously, we’ve!
strengthened the impact that others hav
on our self value”.!
- Dr. Andrea Letamendia

19. Image: Flickr; Me
Hotel
Pengu
Source: Christine Erickson; The Psychology of the Selfie!
One of the differences between self-image!
in real life and online is more ability to!
change our look and mask our identity.!

20. Image: Flickr; ajalil!
Source: Christine Erickson; The Psychology of the Selfie!
Technology has allowed us!
to shape who we are and highlight
specific features in ways we couldn’t do!
as easily offline.!

21. Image: MorgueFile; MiddleWick!
Source: Troy Patterson; A gentleman’s guide to the selfie.!
Expressing the best & worst
of their personalities!
with robotic
efficiency.

22. Image: Flickr; kowitz!
Looking behind the lens
we are not the edited perfection
we may claim to be.!

23. Image: Flickr; The Ithacan!
Source: Christine Erickson; The Psychology of the Selfie!
“You, on your own, !
can be a powerful statement.”!
- Leanne Surfleet