Morgan Chambers Selfie Response

Everyday in the news or on Facebook, the older generations seem to have found a new way to criticize my generation. This article focuses on one critique: the selfie. Why must they see the worst in all we do? Every new trend we have, the older generation must overanalyze the epidemic and manipulate our intentions into the worst possible view. When students planned a nationwide walkout for the 17 lives lost in the Parkland shooting, we were attacked for “wasting our school education.” When teenagers online shop rather than travel to the store in person, we are lazy. By fighting for the rights of the LGBT community and other minorities, we are viewed as “snowflakes” for being offended by homophobic comments. Our generation is always depicted in the worst light. This article proves my point. There is something as harmless and innocent as making a portrait of ourselves to capture moments in time or to be silly that has been turned into our generation being as conceited as Narcissus.

The beginning of the article explains some of society’s reasoning for the abundance of selfies my generation makes, and the belief is continuously visited throughout the writing. I disagree with the idea of making pictures of ourselves for narcissistic purposes. Although there are few people on social media who post selfies because they love themselves, I believe most people make selfies for the complete opposite reason. Many people of my generation lack self-esteem, and they post pictures of themselves where they feel they seem attractive for validation of their beauty. The likes, comments, and shares they receive on social media help people to feel better about their appearance. A girl on Instagram may seem completely gorgeous to us, and it may seem like she is posting selfies to make the rest of us feel bad; however, she, like the majority of us, most likely only notices the flaws in her own pictures: how her left eye is slightly larger than her right, how her smile never quite looks how she wants, the slight chin fat she has been trying to lose. The comments left on these selfies help her to lose sight of these flaws. The comments and likes provide the validation this low self-esteemed girl needs despite coming off as narcissistic.

Is there a reason for the constant attacking of our generation and all we do? I seldom see teenagers posting long psychiatric analyses of every activity in which our parent’s or grandparent’s generations participated. Our generation needs to reminisce in OUR trends. We should be allowed to make a self-portrait or post on Instagram or read an online blog without being harassed for “laziness” or other ridiculous accusations.