Posted: Mar 20, 2018 12:01 am
Why is this only a problem now?
Historically people have been "taking selfies" for centuries. The only difference being was that the selfies were called "portraits" and could only be afforded by the very rich or powerful, who felt their visage should be immortalised for whatever reason. Some of those people will probably have been quite egotistical. But, not all of them.
The mass market availability of cameras in the late 20th century, made getting a "selfie" widely available and yet, there was no outcry about that behaviour at the time.
Now in the early 21st century, high resolution imagery is available to almost everyone. So many people take selfies.
Many people but, by no means not all, take selfies because they think they "look good" in that picture. That is not, by default, egotistical. Not everyone has a high opinion of themself. For some folk, having a picture where they look good, is a reminder that such a thing is possible and can help build up a low self-esteem. This is perfectly healthy behaviour. Some people take selfies where they are indifferent to how they look but, want to capture themselves in a place at a particular time, for the purposes of having a record rather than just relying on memory.
And then egotistical people take selfies because they are egotistical.
That you're projecting egotism onto everyone who takes a selfie, is unhealthy behaviour and a product of your mind only. Projecting emotions/intentions/behaviours onto others is never a helpful thing to do because, as demonstrated by your post, it can lead a person down a judgemental path which generates unhealthy emotions.
By all means get angry with egotistical people. But, do your homework and establish who those individuals are.
Projecting egotism onto everyone engaged with a behaviour says nothing about those people or the behaviour. It does say a lot about you as a person.
Historically people have been "taking selfies" for centuries. The only difference being was that the selfies were called "portraits" and could only be afforded by the very rich or powerful, who felt their visage should be immortalised for whatever reason. Some of those people will probably have been quite egotistical. But, not all of them.
The mass market availability of cameras in the late 20th century, made getting a "selfie" widely available and yet, there was no outcry about that behaviour at the time.
Now in the early 21st century, high resolution imagery is available to almost everyone. So many people take selfies.
Many people but, by no means not all, take selfies because they think they "look good" in that picture. That is not, by default, egotistical. Not everyone has a high opinion of themself. For some folk, having a picture where they look good, is a reminder that such a thing is possible and can help build up a low self-esteem. This is perfectly healthy behaviour. Some people take selfies where they are indifferent to how they look but, want to capture themselves in a place at a particular time, for the purposes of having a record rather than just relying on memory.
And then egotistical people take selfies because they are egotistical.
That you're projecting egotism onto everyone who takes a selfie, is unhealthy behaviour and a product of your mind only. Projecting emotions/intentions/behaviours onto others is never a helpful thing to do because, as demonstrated by your post, it can lead a person down a judgemental path which generates unhealthy emotions.
By all means get angry with egotistical people. But, do your homework and establish who those individuals are.
Projecting egotism onto everyone engaged with a behaviour says nothing about those people or the behaviour. It does say a lot about you as a person.