Stop the Selfie….our final plea

Throughout this semester our blog has given you a few of the many reasons why we believe that young people should stop taking selfies and live in the moment. We have shared stories about how selfies can open the door to being a victim of cyber-bullying. We have discussed the dangerous trend of taking selfies while driving. We have shown you statistics that prove taking inappropriate and excessive selfies can ruin your chances of getting that dream job. We have also demonstrated that there are proven links between selfie obsession and immaturity, insecurity, and even mental health problems. All of these reasons should give even the most obsessed selfie-taker reason to pause before snapping that next picture.

I know that most of you are probably thinking to yourselves, I take a selfie now and then, but I am not obsessed and this blog doesn’t apply to me! We like to think of it this way, every minute that you are snapping a selfie, texting, or checking social media is another minute that you are not living life to its fullest. Put down the phone, lift up your eyes, and Seize the Day!

According to a study done by College Quarterly, the average college student spends over 16 hours per week on social media, that’s more time than they spend on any other activity including studying. That is 16 hours that could have been spent talking to people, playing sports, enjoying the outdoors, or any other activities that require you to look up from your mobile device and engage with the world.

http://www.collegequarterly.ca/2013-vol16-num01-winter/huang-capps.html

In fact, according to lifehack.org, if you give up selfies your life will improve in the following ways:

• You Will Be More In The Moment
• Your Self Image Will Be Healthier
• You Will Listen Better
• Your Mental State Will Improve
• You Will Be More Secure
• You Will Have A Better Attitude
• You Will Have A Real Definition Of Beauty
• You Will Be Less Offended By Negativity

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/when-you-stop-posting-selfies-these-10-things-will-happen.html

So please, stop the selfies. Make the most of your life, live in the moment, and be healthier because of it. It may seem difficult at first, but the rewards will last a lifetime.

Ok, so hopefully you have taken our blog to heart and are re-thinking your selfie obsession.   For those of you reading this that are still on the fence and not convinced that you can stop, we have saved perhaps our most compelling argument for last. What celebrities post excessive numbers of selfies on twitter? Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian, and Justin Bieber……..nuff said? I would think so….

Selfies: The “Perfect” Version of You

In the article “7 Reasons to Take More Selfies” the author states that selfies allow one to “showcase their good side,” as opposed to normal photographs which do not put the result in the hands of the people in the photograph. The author, Sara Lustberg, claims that the selfie allows teenagers to completely control and manipulate the lighting, angle, atmosphere and outfit featured in the selfie, which in turn results in the most perfect version of oneself. Lustberg encourages teenagers to not only take selfies but to “edit out any blemishes that you don’t want the world to see.”

There is a fault in this belief as it places too much emphasis on physical appearance. In today’s society where social media use is at an all-time high, edited and photo-shopped pictures are all too common. Although selfies may give one the power to control the way they look and appear to others online, this emphasis on appearance can often take place of human values and experiences. In addition to causing teenagers to become obsessed with the way they look and appear to others on social media, there are recently invented apps that allow one to edit anything and everything in their selfie. The new apps have airbrush tools, eye color changing abilities, and much more. The obsession with appearing perfect in a selfie is now supported by apps and, of course, the many filters and editing devices provided free on Instagram. Without the selfie, teenagers would not feel influenced to have to flaunt the absolute most perfect image of themselves, and not feel the drive to nitpick any imperfections they may have. Individuality and natural beauty should be promoted in everyday life, not through selfies with the false advertising the selfie editing apps feature.

Link to source referenced to: http://lifestyle.allwomenstalk.com/reasons-to-take-more-selfies/3/

Lochness Selfie

The annual Baxters Loch Ness Marathon in Scotland is offering 50,000 euros, or 75,000 American Dollars for any runner in the marathon who can snap a selfie with the Lochness monster. The company was inspired to do this after they noticed the abundance of runners stopping to admire the lake and take selfies with it in the background. The selfies will be submitted to a zoological panel who will determine the validity.

Want to win £50,000? Just get a selfie with the Loch Ness Monster (and run a marathon)

Houston we have a selfie

As annoying as selfies can be, this selfie of astronauts in space is downright awesome and hands down one of the best selfies out there. Taken with a go pro, the selfie shows astronauts Barry Wilmore and Terry Virts going on a spacewalk to make repairs at the International Space Station. The selfie is part of an hour long video taken by the astronauts on the go pro simply showing them making repairs but the video is beautiful and has scenes of Earth and outer space. If you’re going to take a selfie people, this is the way to do it. This selfie brings Kim Kardashian duck face selfies to serious same.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/02/astronauts-spacewalk-re-wire-iss-commercial-crew/

Cyber Bullying and Selfies

In September 2013, 12 year-old Rebecca Sedwick left her Florida home and walked to a nearby abandoned concrete factory where she climbed to the top of a silo and jumped to her death.  What could cause a middle-school student to choose suicide over facing another day?  Cyber-bullying.  The sad fact is that Rebecca’s story is all too common these days.  The i-SAFE Foundation reports that over half of adolescents and teens have been victims of cyber-bulling and 1 in 3 have received cyber threats online.

http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html

Harmful bullying is nothing new, but what is different now is the sophisticated tools teens have at their disposal to torment victims.  It used to be that bullying was done face-to-face and if the victim could last until the end of the school day, they were able to retreat to the safety of their homes.  In today’s world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media channels, bullies have access to their victims 24/7.  Compounding the problem of unlimited access to the victim is the speed with which nasty comments and rumors can be posted and spread via social media to an entire network of individuals.   Once posted, comments take on a life of their own and become a permanent reminder of the abuse the victim suffers.  Victims of cyber-bullying often feel helpless and believe they have nowhere to hide.

Social media also creates a climate where people feel somewhat anonymous and post things on-line that they would never have the nerve to say to somebody face-to-face.  Social media bullies feel safe because they don’t risk face-to-face confrontations and they don’t have to see the impact their actions have on their victims.

What role do selfies play in cyber-bullying?  It’s an unfortunate fact that cyber-bullying often starts with cruel comments made in response to the posting of an innocent selfie.  Even celebrities such as Iggy Azalea have fallen victim to cyber-bullying and body-shaming from a picture posted on-line.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sue-scheff/no-one-is-immune-to-onlin_b_6740214.html

Many people post selfies in the hopes of getting compliments and assurances from their friends, but there is also a flip-side to seeking out attention from others. Unfortunately, posting selfies can attract unwanted negative attention and give bullies an “in” to start harassment.   If the victim is already dealing with self-esteem issues, cruel comments posted about their appearance can lead to depression and other psychological problems. This is not to say that selfie posters deserve the negative attention they get, it is just a warning that there is a risk involved when you post an image of yourself that can be used or commented on in a way you cannot control.

I am not suggesting that by eliminating selfies society will be able to stop cyber-bullying, but at least it will give abusers one less way to access victims. Instead of relying on strangers or distant friends for feedback on your appearance through social media, it is a much better idea to build your self-esteem through face-to-face human interaction where you are being judged by the person you are, and not just the image you post.

Green Jacket Selfie

http://www.cbssports.com/golf/eye-on-golf/25148624/look-jordan-spieth-takes-selfie-on-empire-state-building

New Master’s Champion Jordan Spieth wore his new green jacket as he snapped a selfie atop the Empire State Building in NYC. This guy is on top of the world (in many senses of the word), and the young gold champ is showing the world his cocky side by posting this glamorous selfie.

Spieth, you just won our hearts on Sunday. Couldn’t you wait a little while before breaking them with this cheesy selfie? Come on, we didn’t think you were the vain type.

Apple Bans Selfie Sticks

http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/14/technology/apple-selfie-sticks/index.html?iid=HP_River

In an announcement about their WWDC Developers Conference, Apple also released that no selfie sticks will be permitted at the event. Apple reports: “You may not use selfie sticks or similar monopods” at the event, Apple’s policy reads. “Any attendee conducting these activities may be removed from WWDC.”

So, why not? Some suggest it is for liability purposes and to avoid any injuries that could be caused by people swinging these things around. Some speculation suggests that Apple ousted the selfie stick from their event because they are simply a nuisance. And to this speculation, #stoptheseflie says: hooray!

We agree, Apple. These accessories are obnoxious and unnecessary, and we’re behind you all the way. One small step for Apple, one large step to #stoptheseflie.

Can taking selfies ruin your chances of getting a job?

It’s hard enough to find a job these days and many job applicants may not be aware that it is a common practice among potential employers to scan social media channels to help them make hiring decisions.  In fact, a recent survey by market analyst On Device Research indicates that 91% of hiring managers use social media to screen job applicants.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/06/04/applicants-rejected-social-media-on-device-research/

Not only are employers using social media to screen applicants, they are basing hiring decisions on what they find.  The same study found that 1 in 10 applicants are rejected based on negative information that potential employers have observed on social media.  Even with these compelling statistics, 70% of Americans surveyed between the ages of 18 and 34 indicated that they were not concerned about social media hurting their chances of landing a job. That is a huge disconnect.

Most potential job applicants know enough to realize that before they apply for a job they need to go online and clean-up their social media and remove all incriminating pictures that show them drinking, using drugs, or engaging in other illegal behavior.  However, just removing incriminating pictures from social media may not be enough to ensure prospective employers that you have the maturity to fit in the workplace.

Most employers know exactly what they are looking for in an employee, and you may not realize that even the innocent selfie pictures and comments you post are actually telling employers a lot about who you are and how you think.  For example, an applicant may be surprised to learn that the smiling selfie they posted while touring Auschwitz, or the duck face selfie with the burning building in the background both indicated to a potential employer that the applicant was immature and exercised poor judgment. In addition to the types of selfies that show disrespect for sacred places and tragic events, the total number of selfies a job candidate has posted also says a lot to an employer.

In addition to wanting an employee who is mature, most companies also seek out employees that are confident and self-assured. What does it tell an employer if they observe an applicant posted 15 selfies a day in different outfits? According to Psychology Today, it indicates that the person is insecure, a narcissist, and in constant need of affirmation; which is probably not the kind of person an employer wants to deal with on a daily basis.   http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/selfies-affecting-chances-hired/

The bottom line is that every job applicant should take a look at their social media channels and view them from the perspective of a potential employer. What are your pictures and posts saying about you as a person? Are you mature, responsible, self-confident, and respectful of authority? If not, then you should consider what we have been suggesting throughout this blog, have the confidence to “Stop-The-Selfie” and live your life in the moment without the distraction of social media.

Celebrities & Selfies: An Unhealthy Duo

Many selfie enthusiasts claim that selfies via Instragram have become the newest form of self-endorsement and self-expression, as supported and seen on many celebrity Instagram accounts such as Kim Kardashian’s, Justin Bieber’s, Rihanna’s and Kylie Jenner’s. Celebrity Instagram accounts have recently been flooded with selfies and pictures promoting their hourglass builds and rock hard abs, and taking into account that these celebrities are under the public microscope 24/7, many this to be detrimental to the young men and women who idolize these celebrities or simply view these selfies on their Instagram feeds.

Instagram has many purposes: keeping friends and family up to date on one’s travel journeys, flaunting one’s ever-so-delicious nachos at the newest restaurant in town or just plain displaying oneself having fun with friends at the pool. Although the before mentioned purposes are completely harmless, there are other purposes of Instagram that have not served to promote positivity throughout the Instagram community, one being the selfie. In particular, celebrities who participate in the act of taking and posting selfies can harm the self-image of teenagers who are exposed to these celebrities’ unattainable levels of beauty. Young teenagers who see Kylie Jenner’s selfies flaunting her botox-injected lips and Kim Kardashian’s eyelash extensions naturally compare themselves to the photos of these superstars who can essentially buy their looks, unlike the normal population of teenagers. These celebrities are worshiped for their looks, whether they be natural or not, and teenagers are given a false image of what real beauty is. Teenagers obsess over looking like these celebrities and crave perfection that is just simply unattainable to the average teenager.

On a larger scale, several studies have shown that the loss of self-esteem due to comparison to celebrities can lead to poor family relationships, poor body image and even eating disorders. Dr. Karen Landers, a pediatrician and health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, states that “eating disorders start young,” and “girls come into the office and want to look like the latest teen idol…which [a diet] leads to further problems, such as anorexia and bulimia.” With these implications at stake, it is vital for celebrities to promote self-confidence in other ways such as through their achievements or ways they have helped make the world a better place.

Link to source referenced to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/celebrity-selfies/

Runner Snaps Selfie Before Winning First Place- In Race, and Photography Contest

Photo of Runner Snapping Selfie Snags Prestigious Photojournalism Prize

A cross country runner caught the attention of a prestigious photojournalism prize when she snapped a selfie of himself winning 1st place in a cross country race. A photo of 17 year old Jacob Gillingham won first place in the sports category awarded by NPPA (National Press Photographers Association).

Photojournalist Troy Wayrynen took a photo of Gillingham taking a photo of himself, and the image won first place. Now, were not sure if this photo won because of the irony of it: a selfie is hardly award-winning photography. Or did it win because judges think the self-promoting runner deserved to take a picture of himself? The photo (of the selfie) is hardly award-winning quality, yet, by awarding it first place, the NPPA seems to be praising the vanity and selfishness that selfies represent

. 

Seems like the last thing you should be thinking while finishing a footrace is “oh I should definitely take a selfie of myself winning”. That my friend, is what the sports photographers are for, in the first place. Pun intended.