Although recently the word ‘Selfie’ has become something mainstream, the concept of ‘selfie’ has been going on for a long time.
Fun Fact 🌟 : As many know, the term Selfie is defined as: ‘ a photograph taken by one, usually with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a website of social media.’
The dictionary quotes the word with Australian origins. The first use of the term was in September 2002 at a public forum. After a drunken night, an Australian man took a photo of his broken lip as he was asking for help. The identity of the man remains a mystery however, thanks to him this became a worldwide trend.
The first Selfie Hashtag on Instagram:
In October 2010, Instagram successfully launched with 10 million registered users in circa 1 year. The selfie below was posted on January 2011, and it was the first image ever have the (#Selfie).
Today, millions of #Selfies get uploaded everyday on instagram even by known artists who play an active role in this trend for example: Kim Kardashian West.
But all of this couldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for our selfie pioneer, our real Selfie Queen, Jennifer Lee.
Did you know 💠?
The word ‘selfie’ beat out the words ‘twerk’ and ‘bitcoin’ in November 2013 to become the much-coveted ‘Word of the Year’ of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Are selfies just a consequence of the fact that everyone has access to a camera? What exactly do selfies say about the people in front of the camera?
LET’S ASK THE EXPERTS
What are people thinking when they take selfies?
According to Ann Steele, a psychologist and family therapist who has experience with adolescents , the only way to fully understand selfies, people need to understand the motivations behind those pictures. Let’s break it down in categories;
Human Kindness
There is a reason why people love selfies with other people or with animals. This is because pictures such as these show the humankind at its very best. This is a theme that is common even when taking pictures interacting with animals, humans are portrayed as selfless, kind and even courageous. In a nutshell, people like to believe in the kindness of humankind because they feel closer to their own goodness.
Fulfilment
The selfie concept has become such a focal point in every individual’s life. People take selfies of anything and everything they do in their everyday lives and post them on social media. Only a few decades ago, people who had that type of exposure to the public would be considered celebrities. But, this generation is different. We live in a society where young people are brought up with the idea that they are special. The rise of social media was in perfect unison with these desires and so it became a portal through which ordinary people are able to accomplish the extraordinary with very minimal amounts of effort
A selfie is an expression of a person’s identity. It captures a moment in a person’s life that meant something. But it is also a method for someone to find oneself. It is a mark on a world that demands too much and gives too little.
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This is a project for Study Unit MCS3953, University of Malta.