Blogpost #4: Hi! My name is Narcissus.

Vanity has been hunting the human race since the 1500s. It was then since associated with the term Narcissism based from the Greek mythology involving Narcissus. With 'Selfie' in the picture, Am I a narcissist?

In Pamela Rutledge's article "#Selfies: Narcissism or Self-Exploration?" on psychologytoday.com. She talks about how selfies can be not a form of Narcissism but a form of Self-Exploration, or study of oneself. She gives out details explaining how and even pointing concrete examples to defend her claim. She goes on to explain how selfie is just an evolved Self-portrait. 

i miss school. Star City later *_*

Rutledge says, "Humans have long demonstrated an interest in self-exploration.  From early Greeks to present day, people have used self-study and self-observation to explore identity and sense of self.  Trying to figure out who we are and what we’re about is a distinctly human pursuit for almost everyone, whether you are trying to find greater consciousness or figure out what moved you to buy the blue shoes."

As technology progresses, we find ways to learn things about ourselves. We are humans, we always have questions about anything, about ourselves. Selfies in my opinion is a way for some to connect with themselves, to learn from what other people think about them based on their selfies. Though learning oneself may lead to something good. Some people tend to over examine their selves making them think things like "If I'm not like this, maybe I need to be like this." They become co-dependent to society, which in the long run, very toxic. Let's face it, no one is physically perfect at birth and no science magic will ever change that(yet).

source: memegenerator.net

Melissa Schenker states on her article "Are You a Narcissist If You Take Selfies?" on huffingtonpost.com that our culture points out teens as being narcissistic when it's just developmentally appropriate for them to be focused on their peers and be self-oriented. She points out that, selfie is for teens is just a way for them to fit in, to grow up as an adult. She also says it's over-generalizing and is a shallow notion of narcissism. 

I look like a punk rocker with my overgrown bangs. Getting them cut soon!! My hand looks green...... #punk #rock #bangs #cut #green #handSchenker says, "Could it be that calling teens out for doing selfies may be our generation's rock-n-roll? And maybe, the older generations are being narcissistic by calling teens out for selfies -- assuming the old way of using the new technology is better than the teen's way?"

There will always be a generation gap. It happened to me, it happened to our parents. I do believe that what teens do now has something similar when I was growing up. Calling the older generations as being narcissistic may or may not be in agreement with all as some of them are just concerned for the well being of their children. its a known fact that selfies is the most contagious form of social media and too much of a good thing(for some) is bad thing, ain't it? 

source: memgenerator.net

Like it or not, people, teens will take selfies. They will get addicted and nobody can stop them but themselves. I personally really don't think selfies are bad at all. It's just some may do them excessively and to the point that it's pointless. Well, we just need to accept the facts and try to at least be there for them when shit happens. 

Blogpost #3: Types of Selfies

Selfie's have become somewhat an art form. Spawning multiple types who can pass as something artsy. And you know what? The number of types keeps growing.

Trey Humphreys' article "The 15 Worst Types of Selfies" on wittyandpretty.com enumerates some types which he thinks are the worst among the countless types out there. These types are as follows: The Gym Selfie, The Pet Selfie, The Car Selfie, The Blurry Selfie, The Just Woke Up Selfie, Pretending to Be Asleep Selfie, The Add a Kid Selfie, The Hospital Selfie, The “I’m On Alcohol” Selfie, The Duck Face Selfie, The Pregant Belly Mirror Selfie, The “I Have Enough Money to Fly On an Airplane” Selfie, The 3D Selfie, The Say Something That Has Nothing To Do With Anything Selfie and The “I Live In Filth” Selfie.

Our Morninq Thoe.: ) #WokeUp Next To My Ninaa  Humphreys says, "That annoying picture you post of YOURSELF to remind the world just how attractive you are. Shut the f*cking door."
People in the internet lack the sense of humilty. People who often post selfies post them just to brag or to horde in some of those lovely likes. Well, most people on the internet, specially teens, lack self-confidence. To think majority of those non-confident folks have looks to boot. Humans are weird, specially with their appearance. I do not understand the need to show off what the higher beings gave them.

Source: cheezburger.com

This next ones all about self-love! Rosie Waterland posts "The ‘Bikini in the Mirror’ and 4 other kinds of selfie. Which one have you taken?" on mamamia.com.au lists 5 most vain selfies she has encountered. These are: The ‘I found a look that works for me and I’m sticking with it’ Selfie, The ‘Backdoor Brag’ Selfie, The ‘Warts and All’ Selfie, The ‘I’m acting like this is ironic but really I know how good I look’ Selfie and The ‘All-out I don’t care how vain this is bikini in the mirror’ Selfie.

Never ask a girl with winged eyeliner why she's late.💁#commonsense #asian #girl #pinay #filo #wing #eyeliner #vain #quatro #selca #selfie #nashville #effect Waterland says, "To me, the selfie culture populates a mysterious part of the social media universe where a language is spoken that I just don’t understand. A language that feels like it’s lacking any kind of irony or self-deprecation. And people who can’t make fun of themselves are people who make me nervous. To me – selfies all just look so… self-indulgent."

I firmly agree with Waterlands statement. There is just something about the social mediaverse that most people, inlcuding me, wont understand. Maybe because of preferences? I don't understand vain people at all. Well, I have no looks to be proud of so whatevs!

Source: en.wikipedia.org

For the most part, selfies seem to be all about ones love to his/her own looks. Vanity and self-indulgence is the name of the game. A trait the makes some humans more humans in my own opinion. Anyways to better love others you need to love your self first. So for the lack of a better ending. I leave you with this quote from William Shakespeare, "Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good; A shining gloss that fadeth suddenly; A flower that dies when first it 'gins to bud, A brittle glass that’s broken presently."

Blogpost #2: #TBSelfie

Selfies are widely known to be taken for social networking sites using digital cameras. But where did selfies come from? Where did the word "Selfie" come from?

In November 2013, the word "Selfie" was announced Word of the Year. The word's origin was not clearly known. In Mark Amsler's article "Where did that word come from? - Selfie" on nzherald.co.nz, he stated that the earliest recorded Selfie was back in 2002 by a 20-something's guy on a drunken party on New Zealand. It was posted and shared on an ABC Online forum "Um, drunk at a mates 21st, I tripped ofer [sic] and landed lip first (with front teeth coming a very close second) on a set of steps ... And sorry about the focus, it was a selfie."

These guys #bros#party#selfe#selfiegamestrong#mates#drunk @thestevicle @naybone1204 Amsler says, "Now, 11 years after that young man's tumble down the stairs, selfie is part of worldwide English speech for a digitised, media-sharing culture."

It's funny how things are made in the internet, specially the words. Who knew that one simple mishap could lead to create a random word that would encapsulate an entire movement and what would stick to everyone's (young obnoxious brats) vocabulary for years. Well, jolly good show Internet!

source: forums.watchuseek.com

Okay, let's move back a little. Back when Selfies were called "Self-Portraits." Michael Cathcart's article "A short history of the selfie" on abc.net.au says that Art historian James Hall traced development of the self-portraits right back to the Middle Ages. The beginnings of vanity also took hand in the creation of self-portraits.

Vanity on. 😉💋 #instacollage #pinay #selfie #modelprimeph #instagramhub #jj #all_shots #webstagram #ggss #instavain #vanityCathcart says, "The selfie has become a by-word for our self-obsessed age, and it seems everyone's doing it; even Barack Obama and David Cameron at Nelson Mandela's memorial."

Kids, teens, adults, celebrities and even elders are doing it. Why? Maybe because we are all self-absorbed? This past few years, we see a drastic increase of selfies. Mainly because of famous people sharing their own creations. Well, who would like to miss out on the fun? LOL.

source: memegenerator.net

As time passes by, we see how people are getting more and more into technology, internet and digital photography to be exact. And with those tools, new forms of people have and soon will emerge. I just hope that we wouldn't be outrun by hordes of self-obsessed zombies. Y.O.L.O.

Blogpost #1: What is Selfie?

"Just got out of the shower. :* :* :*", "Having a bad day. ;c", "Stuck in traffic. #selfie." These are just some of the captions you (I) usually find along side a selfie.

But what is a selfie? Is it something evil you do alone at night when you are lonely and a little bit on the hot side, "If you know what I mean. ;>". According to the Oxford dictionary, A Selfie is a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website. Elise Moreau's "What is a Selfie?" on webtrends.about.com tells us that a selfie is a picture of yourself, usually shared on any social networking website and nothing more.

Man Crush Monday... youre amazing btw #mancrushmonday #man #crush #monday #noticeme #millertarymonday #millertary #love Moreau says, "Since social media is the driving force of most selfie activity, younger kids interested in staying connected to their friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, crushes or colleages are more active in sharing selfies on a regular basis."

Selfies are a great way to connect to the ones closest to you. You can show anyone what you are really or a completely different side of you. You can share stuff like you would when you meet up. Though you can't interact with them, obviously. And most importantly you can be the ones shared to. Well, interaction I guess? Cool.

Source: fortheloveofnell.tumblr.com

James Franco's "The Meanings of the Selfies" on nytimes.com says that selfies are the most popular way to post and garner likes on the internet. Him being a famous actor, likes are a necessity and something they need in order to gain (or lose) fans. In normal people's case, to gain (or lose) friends and/or admirers.

TONIGHT - Palo Alto, Q and A at the SUNSHINE CINEMA in NYC! EASTSIDE! Franco says, "Of course, the self-portrait is an easy target for charges of self-involvement, but, in a visual culture, the selfie quickly and easily shows, not tells, how you’re feeling, where you are, what you’re doing."

Personally, it kinda revolts me that people nowadays use visual culture as a way to show their "feelings" or to tell stories of their day to day life. Like an old fashion obligatory status update isn't torture enough? I have nothing against selfies in general. As a matter of fact, I take them once in a while. It just gets weird and annoying at some point. I am not interested to see what you look like after you took a shit.

Source: knowyourmeme.com

Photos we're once an art form or some form of story telling medium. Nowadays, it is reduced 

In our day and age. Everything is fast and in some cases, instant. There are still a lot of things I don't understand about selfies and on selfie takers. Maybe in this journey, I could learn to understand or at least be less of a dick to them people.