When the objective is to show off to your friends, and perhaps brag a little about where you are, and what you are doing, the selfie is replacing the experience of being in the moment. When your back is turned to the Mona Lisa to take a selfie, why bother going to Paris and the Louvre in the first place?
As walker Evans famously said: "Stare. It's the way to educate your eyes. Stare. Pry, listen eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long." But, if you are merely pointing your phone, or worse turning your back and pointing the phone in the best narcissist fashion towards yourself, then what are you really seeing? You are dying inside, because you are not truly seeing anything at all!
An interesting perspective - agree with you 100% - sharing an experience is a good reason for a selfie. Somewhere between celebrity and social media the selfie got destroyed and turned into something unholy.
…great final selfie at the end…i’m not a fan in general but you provide a great argument for the value and appreciation of the format…which makes me realize i’m being close minded…there is value in it and your last picture shows creativity which i think is my general sticky-ickiness towards it…i want more creativity in the selfie!…artistically it is interesting when thinking in relationship to painting that the self portrait would become so ubiquitous…why isn’t everyone sharing bowl of fruit photos….ah still life…in a photo it is all still life…
When the objective is to show off to your friends, and perhaps brag a little about where you are, and what you are doing, the selfie is replacing the experience of being in the moment. When your back is turned to the Mona Lisa to take a selfie, why bother going to Paris and the Louvre in the first place?
As walker Evans famously said: "Stare. It's the way to educate your eyes. Stare. Pry, listen eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long." But, if you are merely pointing your phone, or worse turning your back and pointing the phone in the best narcissist fashion towards yourself, then what are you really seeing? You are dying inside, because you are not truly seeing anything at all!
An interesting perspective - agree with you 100% - sharing an experience is a good reason for a selfie. Somewhere between celebrity and social media the selfie got destroyed and turned into something unholy.
…great final selfie at the end…i’m not a fan in general but you provide a great argument for the value and appreciation of the format…which makes me realize i’m being close minded…there is value in it and your last picture shows creativity which i think is my general sticky-ickiness towards it…i want more creativity in the selfie!…artistically it is interesting when thinking in relationship to painting that the self portrait would become so ubiquitous…why isn’t everyone sharing bowl of fruit photos….ah still life…in a photo it is all still life…
Great!!!!