Amity wrote:
I've never taken a selfie, so i can only guess why they are so popular. Look at images in the media, 'the beautiful people' are everywhere.
From childhood the selfie generation has also experienced environmental images of the best looking men and women on buses, billboards, posters in shop windows etc. Basically its everywhere. Public success often hinges on image, not necessarily talent. This is a message that many young people are exposed to, so amongst other things, they take beautiful selfies, because its a regular thing to do now. (Beauty is subjective and pleasing to look at, be it a portrait, a landscape, an object... )
A picture of a sandwich though, it could be a new method of communication through images, or boredom I have no idea

I think every generation that has lived in modern advertising has grown up looking at images of the best looking men and women. The biggest difference is that the perception of beauty changes with each generation.
metaldanielle wrote:
I do it because I have body image issues. Occassionlly I like to show off a new outfit or hairdo. I used a self-timer for my avatar.
I think a lot of people do it because everyone else is.
Is using a timer considered a selfie though? I thought the archetypal selfie was when one is holding the camera at a weird angle so their face is taking up most of the frame.
SecretAgent wrote:
What I hate most about them is that they seem to always be taken in the bathroom in the mirror reflection, often with the toilet in the background. Like what the heck, nobody wants to see that.

And you can always see the phone right there near their face and it looks dumb. I don't understand this trend because it's just not necessary! Most smartphones have a front-facing camera so you can see yourself while taking a picture. And if not... well, I used a mirror and a digital camera to take my profile pic, and you totally can't tell.

Very true. The flash against the mirror hurts my eyes and the sanitary issues are too numerous to think about.
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I find your lack of faith disturbing.