SELFIE AWARENESS

Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the selfiest of them all? Selfie sharers are mostly females, average age around 23.7. However, selfies are being enjoyed by multiple generations and cultures around the world. It is the universal connecting phenomenon of today's social media. From rock stars and celebrities to the President, selfies are a fun, instant way to document a moment it time. With bijillions of selfies shared around the world, the question is what does this say about society when we continue to upload thousands of self-images that say "Look at me! See who I am with, where I am, and what I am doing right now!" Are we sharing our self-portraits to amuse ourselves or to document our lives? It may be a little bit of both. Why do we think everyone wants to see us in all of these situations? Or, does it really matter? With the younger generation tethered to their cell phones and the vast social media stage, they are staying connected with others 24/7. With selfies, individuals are willing to share just about anything. What do selfies say about us as a society? Psychiatrists have weighed in on this topic and have a variety of opinions. It is agreed that selfies are a type of self-exploration and social experimentation that allows the individual to control the intended result thus representing a "real" image rather than a staged photograph. It is a real photo in real time and there is authenticity in that. It is like staging and sharing a self-reality show. However, some psychologists believe selfies are narcissistic, appealing to a younger audience that uses the selfie as part of their identity formation and focuses too much on "self" rather than looking outward to those around them. Notably, when the Pope visited the United States, young kids were trying to take a selfie with the Pope rather than experiencing and appreciating the moment of his visit. Whatever the reason we take selfies, they are here to stay and will give social analysts of the future lots to study about our current culture. So have fun sharing your selfies and don't forget your Foot Traffic selfie socks!