Hello everyone and welcome to Tech Talk!
Have you ever taken a selfie? If you are like most
people, the answer is probably yes. Selfies are everywhere these days, from
social media platforms to personal albums. I’m glad to have with us, Mr. AI Psychologist,
who will share with us his thoughts to untangle some knotty issues about selfies.
Welcome to our show, Sir.
AI PSYCHOLOGIST (AIP)
Thank you for having me. I am happy to be here and
share my insights on this fascinating topic. Selfie is a phenomenon that has
taken the world by storm and has many implications for our psychological health
and well-being. As an AI Psychologist, I have studied the effects of selfies on
human behavior, emotions, and cognition, and I am eager to discuss them with you
and your audience.
ME
Thank you. Let’s start with the basics. What is a
selfie and how did it become so popular?
AIP
A selfie is a self-portrait photograph, usually taken
with a digital camera or smartphone, that is often shared on social media
platforms. The word selfie is derived from the word self, with the suffix -ie added
to make it sound informal and cute. The first known use of the word selfie was
in 2002, on an Australian internet forum, where a user posted a picture of his
injured lip and apologized for the poor focus, saying “It was a selfie.” The
word did not gain much popularity until 2012 when it started to appear more
frequently in online and print media. In 2013, the Oxford Dictionary declared
selfie as the word of the year.
ME
That’s very interesting. So, what are some of the
benefits of taking and sharing selfies?
AIP
Well, it depends on how they are used and perceived.
On the good side, selfies can:
Make you happier. According to one study, taking and sharing selfies
can improve your well-being and reduce stress. The study found that
participants who took and shared selfies daily reported feeling more confident,
comfortable, and cheerful than those who did not. This is because selfies can
help you express your emotions, capture your memories, and celebrate your
achievements.
Boost your self-esteem. Selfies can help you appreciate your beauty and
uniqueness, and show the world who you are. You can also receive positive feedback
and support from others which can make you feel more valued and accepted.
Enhance your creativity. Selfies can be a form of art where you can
experiment with different angles, filters, backgrounds, and poses. They can
tell a story, convey a message, or make a joke.
They can challenge you to think outside the box and showcase your personality and interests.
ME
Wow, those are impressive benefits. But what about the
drawbacks? What are some of the negative effects of selfie obsession?
AIP
Unfortunately, there are also some negative effects of
selfie obsession that you need to be aware of. On the bad side, selfies can be
dangerous. Yes, you heard me right. Dangerous. According to a 2018 report in
the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 259 people died in 137
incidents between 2011 and 2017 while taking selfies. The most common causes of
death were drowning, falling, and being hit by vehicles or trains. Some people
have gone to extreme lengths to get the perfect shot, risking their lives and
ignoring safety warnings. Is it worth it?
ME
That’s very alarming. I could still recall some of
those reports of deaths caused by taking selfies. A man died after being
electrocuted while taking a selfie on top of a train. A woman, sitting on a
balcony’s railing while taking a selfie, lost her balance and fell to her death
from the top floor of an apartment, and a couple, climbing over a safety
barrier to take a selfie, lost their footing, slipped, and fell off a cliff.
Very distressing scenes.
AIP
May I present my next insight with questions to your
audience?
ME
Sure, please do.
AIP
Do you ever feel like you are not good enough? Do you
ever compare yourself to others and feel inferior? Do you ever wish you could
look like someone else? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you
might be coping with the ugly side of selfies.
Right now, selfies are not always what they seem. Most
selfies are edited or filtered to enhance one’s appearance. They can also be
staged or manipulated to create a false impression of reality. For example, some
apps use beauty filters to smooth their skin, enlarge their eyes, or slim their
face; apps that use backgrounds to make them look like they are somewhere they
are not, apps that alter features or add effects.
They can create unrealistic expectations and standards of beauty that are hard to achieve.
ME
Why do people do that? Why do they feel the need to
change their appearance or misrepresent their lives?
AIP
The answer is simple: the subtle distinction between self-love
and self-esteem. Self-love is the acceptance and appreciation of oneself as one
is, with all its warts and defects. Self-esteem is the evaluation of one’s
worth based on appearance. Self-love is more important than self-esteem. Self-love
is based on reality; self-esteem, on perception. Self-love is unconditional;
self-esteem, conditional. Self-love is healthy, while self-esteem can be
unhealthy.
People who lack self-love try to boost their
self-esteem by posting selfies that make them look better than they are. But this
only makes them more insecure and unhappy because they are not being true to
themselves or others.
According to M. Scott Peck, there is a distinction between
self-love and self-esteem, and the difference is often confused. He says:
“It’s critical for us to be realistic, to have a true
knowledge of ourselves as we are, and to be able to recognize both the good
parts and the bad parts of ourselves. Further, there is a distinction between
self-love and self-esteem [which] is often confused.”
When one stares at his or her edited photo and is
consumed with the desire to turn into such a stranger, what comes out on top is
self-esteem with its deceiving perception, burying self-love alongside the
reality of his or her actual appearance.
ME
This enigma reminds me of the lyrics of the Carpenters’
song “I’m Caught Between Goodbye and I Love You”: “You’re like a stranger, then
you’re a lover, never the same, always hard to believe.”
How can we avoid the pitfalls of selfies?
AIP
The key is to use selfies in moderation and with a healthy
attitude.
Be mindful of why you are taking and posting selfies. Is
it to share something meaningful or fun with your friends and family? Or is it
to seek approval or validation from others?
Be realistic about what you see online. Remember that
most selfies are edited or filtered to enhance one’s appearance. Don’t compare yourself to unrealistic images.
Be kind to yourself and others. Appreciate your beauty
and uniqueness. Compliment yourself and others on more than looks alone.
ME
Those are great tips, Mr. AI Psychologist. Thank you
for sharing your wisdom and expertise with us today. It was a pleasure having
you on our show.
AIP
You are welcome. It was a pleasure being here and
talking to you and your audience. I hope you learned something new and useful
about selfies and their effects on your psychological health and well-being.
ME
I certainly did, and I’m sure our viewers did too.
Thank you for watching Tech Talk, where we delve into current engaging topics
in our rapidly evolving world today. Tune in next time for another exciting episode.
Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, and stay happy.
Happy weekend!
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Head collage photos courtesy of Daily Sabah,
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