Selfies. Just...wtf? Why?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

i don't get their 'popularity'. I don't like them, and frankly, I've never taken one. I'm not self-obsessed at all. AT ALL. I don't like cameras, I don't like people looking at me period, and I'd never post a picture of myself online. I don't get why 'selfie' is a word in the dictionary, and frankly, just wtf is up with selfies. There's a 100% chance that i don't like you (because I don't like people, period. Nothing personal.) so I dunno. I just don't get why you (if you're a selfie taker) would think that someone wants to look at your ugly (or  photoshopped, halfway-decent) mug, and if you're a selfie-sendee (?)  why you'd want to look at people's pictures of their face. (or any part of their body, for that matter)

 

When i think "selfie", I just can't help but think..."So you're so vain and self-obsessed that you're taking hundreds of pictures of yourself and plastering them all over social network sites....ok....productive, much?"

[Frostgage 7,975]

I'm sorry, but I think you're overreacting.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Frostgage

[Pinkamena-Pills 6,839]

Selfies are selfies.

Even Pinkie likes them. 

[ponylaces 1,870]

I kind of agree with this. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE at my school takes selfies. They take them in the weirdest places such as in class, the bus, on the bleachers, it's just really annoying. Who's going to see these pictures anyway? Their 6 followers? I don't even get the point of Instagram as a whole. I don't have anything against people who take selfies, but why do people do this? Is it fun? I've never even taken a selfie. If my friends and I take a picture of ourselves, it's usually just a normal picture and not a selfie. Heck, I don't even like being in pictures.

[Discordian 6,015]

Because there's anything at all wrong with taking a picture of yourself. Selfies have another name they went by for a long time: A head or bust shot. It's easier to take selfies than anything else these days because of camera phones and webcams.

 

It's not vain to want people to have an updated picture of you, especially if they haven't seen you in awhile because you might live farther away from them than a few miles. On the internet especially you have friends that live across the country or even the entire world from each other. A selfie serves as an update.

 

And the whole part about you hating people? I'd argue that you know nothing about people and that was a rather pointless interjection. It has nothing to do with the topic of selfies.

[Odyssey 5,716]

Uh... it's just a bit of harmless fun. It's just a fad, too. It won't pollute all of social media. No need to overreact over something as amusing as selfies.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I'm sorry, but I think you're overreacting.

 

 

Uh... it's just a bit of harmless fun. It's just a fad, too. It won't pollute all of social media. No need to overreact over something as amusing as selfies.

I'm sorry.I didn't realize that questioning WHY something was, was overreacting

=_=

[Stellafera 3,836]

 

This is Vincent Van Gogh's selfie, valued in the millions of daughters.

 

Admittedly, it took far more technical skill to make than a camera phone snapshot, but it's clear that self portraits do have value. You know what's sad about my kid photos? I don't have many. I was the photographer of my family and I have very few pictures of myself. I rarely take pictures of myself even with my phone now, partially because, much like you, I'm a private person who doesn't share them online. 

 

That doesn't make me superior. It's just how I prefer to control my image. In fact, it's sad sometimes. What will fill my scrapbooks? Pictures of other people. Rare ones at that, since I don't really like people-photography. Taking photographs of yourself is only a nuisance if you do it constantly, at inappropriate times, to the point of self-absorption, and even then it's very rare that that habit actually harms other people.

 

As a vain person myself, vanity is not so bad of a vice. 

[Moonlight 7,286]

That's a bit of a overreaction, selfies are just fun pictures to take of yourselves, and taking one does not make you vain. 

And honestly, just because you don't take selfies doesn't mean you have to suck the fun out of it for everyone else.  

And posting a rant about it on here isn't so "productive" either. 

[Discordian 6,015]

I'm sorry.I didn't realize that questioning WHY something was, was overreacting

=_=

This is more than just questioning why. You're imposing your own hatred on the entire idea of self-portraits in a completely one-sided and holier-than-thou yet easily-toppled argument.

 

You're thinking too much into it on top of all that and there's far better things to put your brain power to use on. There's not some huge philosophical debate to be had but you're treating it like it is.

 

And if the rest of my nonsense means nothing to you then I only have one thing to say: Get the hell over yourself.

[Alex Z 848]

I don't hate selfies. I just don't care about them. If people enjoy selfies that's fine with me.

[Boo 92]

Selfies are a newer, more technologically-advanced and -focused celebration of one's self. People take selfies so they can share parts of themselves at their best, cutest, happiest, most confident with people around them.

 

 

 

."So you're so vain and self-obsessed that you're taking hundreds of pictures of yourself and plastering them all over social network sites....ok....productive, much?"

 

Because obviously, all that people ever do when they take selfies is... just that. They don't have lives. They wake up, make themselves lovely, and then take pictures all day, wheezing over a computer screen, their hand shaking as they attempt to perfectly clear all blemishes. Once they finished editing their photos, they twiddle their thumbs, awaiting that first 'like'. It feeds them. That's all they do. That's it. It's definitely not a small portion of of their day at all. I'm glad you understood at least one part of selfie culture! 

 

People don't take selfies for you, dear. They take them for themselves and the people they love. Additionally, you discussing your "hatred" for humans in general really doesn't drive anything home - it just further proves to me that you clearly don't understand (nor want to understand) why selfies can be such a positively-driving action.

 

I'm sorry.I didn't realize that questioning WHY something was, was overreacting

=_=

 

The way you worded your OP was less 'questioning' and more 'ranting'.

 

This was probably a little ranty itself, but I'm soooo sick and tired of people thinking that being vain is bad. Why the fuck should you be humble about your self-image? If you love yourself, flaunt it in your own way. One of the easiest and nicest ways to do it is through selfies, and sharing it so that the people who care can all celebrate your beauty as well! It's a beautiful, symbiotic, positive relationship and I don't understand the hate.

[Frostgage 7,975]

I'm sorry.I didn't realize that questioning WHY something was, was overreacting

=_=

 

There's nothing wrong with that, but you also needlessly attacked anyone who takes selfies. I don't understand why you would get so worked up over something so trivial.

[Boo 92]

 

 

There's nothing wrong with that, but you also needlessly attacked anyone who takes selfies. I don't understand why you would get so worked up over something so trivial.

 

I think it's less about the topic itself (everyone is entitled to having an opinion, no matter how silly the subject matter is) and more about the delivery, which came off as juvenile. Rather than having this be a discussion, the OP just seemed to use their opening post to write a negatively spun, seemingly-misanthropic rant.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Selfies are a newer, more technologically-advanced and -focused celebration of one's self. People take selfies so they can share parts of themselves at their best, cutest, happiest, most confident with people around them.

 

 

 

 

Because obviously, all that people ever do when they take selfies is... just that. They don't have lives. They wake up, make themselves lovely, and then take pictures all day, wheezing over a computer screen, their hand shaking as they attempt to perfectly clear all blemishes. Once they finished editing their photos, they twiddle their thumbs, awaiting that first 'like'. It feeds them. That's all they do. That's it. It's definitely not a small portion of of their day at all. I'm glad you understood at least one part of selfie culture! 

 

People don't take selfies for you, dear. They take them for themselves and the people they love. Additionally, you discussing your "hatred" for humans in general really doesn't drive anything home - it just further proves to me that you clearly don't understand (nor want to understand) why selfies can be such a positively-driving action.

 

 

The way you worded your OP was less 'questioning' and more 'ranting'.

 

This was probably a little ranty itself, but I'm soooo sick and tired of people thinking that being vain is bad. Why the fuck should you be humble about your self-image? If you love yourself, flaunt it in your own way. One of the easiest and nicest ways to do it is through selfies, and sharing it so that the people who care can all celebrate your beauty as well! It's a beautiful, symbiotic, positive relationship and I don't understand the hate.

loving yourself is one thing. Being vain and self-obsessed about it is a completely different story, bub. There's nothing wrong with loving yourself. But that's not what selfies are. Selfies are all about promoting yourself and being all "ooooohhhh, look at me! Look at me! Look how awesome and cool and lovely I look! Let me spam everyone with beautiful pictures of meeeee! YOU get a selfie! YOU get a selfie! Everyone's going home with selfies of meeee!" (it's like Oprah shutterwhoring) And that's NOT cool.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Nightmare Muffin

[Discordian 6,015]

Because you have any idea what every person ever is thinking when they take selfies, right? You don't get to tell me why I take a picture of myself.

 

And if your problem is with people sharing it and you just happen to get it then there's easy ways to avoid that. The internet has many ways to prevent spam and even beyond that you have a choice to avoid websites, topics and people who will do nothing but if you don't like it so much. It's all in your power to prevent seeing something you don't like so instead of complaining about it just stop looking at them and scroll right past them.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I think it's less about the topic itself (everyone is entitled to having an opinion, no matter how silly the subject matter is) and more about the delivery, which came off as juvenile. Rather than having this be a discussion, the OP just seemed to use their opening post to write a negatively spun, seemingly-misanthropic rant.

says the one in no way contributing to the discussion

[Boo 92]

loving yourself is one thing. Being vain and self-obsessed about it is a completely different story, bub. There's nothing wrong with loving yourself. But that's not what selfies are. Selfies are all about promoting yourself and being all "ooooohhhh, look at me! Look at me! Look how awesome and cool and lovely I look! Let me spam everyone with beautiful pictures of meeeee! YOU get a selfie! OU get a selfie! Everyone's going home with selfies of meeee!" (it's like Oprah shutterwhoring) And that's NOT cool.

 

Who the hell cares if that's their motive? You have no idea why people take selfies, so don't put words in anyone's mouths. Also, when did 'vanity' and 'self-obsession' become interchangeable concepts? It seems you need to practice some self-love yourself if you really can't see the difference!

 

This seems to bother you a whole lot - why don't you delete the people who drag you through this selfie hell of yours? I don't usually say stuff like that because it sounds dismissive and doesn't really solve the problem but... there really isn't a problem, other than you getting upset over an irritating issue in your life that seems completely solvable.

 

 

says the one in no way contributing to the discussion

Yes, clearly. Just because I don't cater to your anti-selfie circlejerk, does not mean I didn't try my best to state my own thoughts on the subject. It's hard to have a discussion when the OP seems adamantly against the entire concept and therefore unresponsive to the responses that don't agree with them.

 

In conclusion: this should've been a blog post!

Edited November 15, 2014 by Boo

[MidnightBloom 84]

It's entirely up to you to do something about it, really. With the attitude you have, i doubt anyone is forcing you to look at their selfies. It's either you just let it pass or you block/unfriend the people in your social network stuff who post selfies. selfies aren't about vanity, it's a reflection of a person's mood and general thoughts in the time it was taken, it's a record. if you think about it, humans have been taking records of anything (cave paintings, graffiti, oil paintings, early photography). it's just a matter of perspective. so, to be quite honest, i don't think it's the "selfie" in itself that brings out this anger in you, but something else... 

 

good day

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

Who cares, really? Taking a picture of yourself, oooh no! Why is it so bad? Is it because all these people are doing it and therefore you have to hate it?

I don't take selfies, but I see people having fun doing it and I don't question people's ideas of fun considering I spend my time watch my little pony and talking about my little pony on the internet longer than I probably should. (because of the fact that I'm sitting here for hours having my legs deteriorate)

Edited November 15, 2014 by NotoriousSMALL

[Celli 4,338]

I think you're being a little bit selfish and harsh. Tone it down, it really is not serious.

[Simon 4,557]

This thread is being locked.  Ultimately, it's fine to disagree with people on the forum, and have a discussion about your views on something, but in those types of situations, it's important to remain respectful.  Beyond that, there is already a similar topic on the forum here: http://mlpforums.com/topic/97000-selfies-what-do-you-think-of-them/

 

Everybody can feel free to post their opinions on the original thread I linked to, but please try and keep discussions respectful in the future and don't make any personal jabs or attacks at someone or a group of people.  Thanks!