Let’s face it 2014 citizens, this is now a topic I had to write an article on. Selfies. After all, it’s a proud new member of the Merriam Webster Dictionary that we, the self image and social media, obsessed population, have put there. So here it is, here’s the official definition of “selfie”: An image of oneself taken by one using a digital camera especially for posting on social networks. And I’ll have you know that just below this definition, Google is informing me that it’s an official Scrabble word…so if that doesn’t make it legitimate I don’t know what does.

Apparently the “selfie” was coined back in 2002, when some random Australian dude drunkenly posted a picture of himself and apologized for the bad focus. How fitting. Selfies have taken all social media platforms by storm, and usually are flattering pictures the user posts as if it’s some casual thing. This leads me to what you’re thinking…I’m going to fess up right here and now and say that yes, I love a good selfie once in a while. Ladies, you can try and rationalize to yourself why you’ve done your hair and makeup while sitting in yesterday’s clothes specifically just to post a selfie, but do not try to explain this to another human; you’ll sound psychotic.

What’s comical is the self proclaimed limitations and guidelines for social media selfie posting. Set by whom you ask? It seems to vary based on the level of social-media-crazy each user undoubtedly is. I myself am moderately crazy, mostly normal, with psycho moments here and there. This means I post selfies every so often, ie: maybe one or two Instagram posts and would never make a selfie my Facebook profile picture- that’s just nuts. I just reread that and laughed and cringed at the same time.

All joking aside, I write about all of this nonsense because of the negative image a pretty face can end up portraying. Just look at what the top hits for “are selfies a…” on Google search….

• are selfies accurate

• are selfies art

• are selfies a disorder

• are selfies a mental illness

• are selfies a sign of narcissism

Kids on social media are getting younger and younger. Along with their friends, these pre-teen users follow people they look up to and celebrities they idolize. With the varying levels of social-media-crazy out there, I can almost guarantee a majority of their “feed” are selfies. And what type of thinking does that instill? “Pretty pictures get tons of likes…so that must mean because she got more likes than that other girl, guys and everyone else in the world who’s opinion so largely matters to my very impressionable mind think that’s pretty and that’s not.” Minus the critical thinking part, you get the picture.

I’m not referencing the “funny” selfies out there, or “selfies with friends” (I can’t keep a straight face here, this is absurdity), but more to the attractive pictures a user posts. You should never put something on the internet searching for approval, or to see how many likes you can get. People can be cruel. Most selfies are edited by the user to make themselves more of their own version of attractive by eliminating blemishes, using good lighting etc. I’d imagine some people literally take down a picture if it doesn’t get enough “likes”, and how truly sad is that?

My advice to you is this: if you’re feeling exceptionally attractive one day, end up taking a picture, then say “hey I look dang good!” and want to post it to social media? By all means, post that selfie. But do so with the feeling of confidence and pride in your appearance, not for the like of approval of ANYONE. Self love and admiring should be at the top of your priority list, not deciding if XPro II makes you look tanner. Because at the end of the day, social media is exactly what it says it is…social media.