My social media accounts are all about me. I've got a blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account and I'm on Instagram. I write a lot about little me and my wonderful little life.
But at least it's about writing, travel, books... At least I'm not just taking the same picture of my face over and over again. If that ever happens, unfollow me and send a therapist.
Last week I went to the beach and watched as a girl spent over an hour
standing in the water taking selfies of herself with the aid of a tripod and
selfie stick. I'm not exaggerating the time. She was still at it when I left
the beach. She probably is at it now. She'll probably emerge at some point and
discover fish have nibbled off her legs. But as long as her pictures make it
look like she's having the best time ever, she probably won't care.
I get it! A solo traveller wants to show they are somewhere nice. A
group wants everyone in the photo together. Fine! A couple of photos is okay. A
lovely memory. But a whole photo session of yourself endlessly posing, trying
desperately to prove what a fabulous time you're having is pitiful.
Every time I go to the beach it's the same story. I want to shout at
these desperate photographers, That's
enough! Put a snorkel on! Go explore! Live a life worth documenting!
Half the time selfies don't even show the background. No I can't see
that amazing sunset because your face is taking up the whole screen. If you'd
just asked one of the dozen people around you to take the shot, like
we did in the old days, it would have made a decent picture. Instead no one knows where you are, plus you've got a double chin.
Frankly it's a big bonus if there's a fancy background at all. Plenty of selfie-takers
are satisfied taking their picture in the bathroom. It's always the same practised smile. The same arranged hair.
These photos are so boring I want to cry.
When will it end? When will we stop feeling the need to photograph our
face every time we move. Please God, let it be soon.
N.B. Quite possibly illustrating this post with a selfie has come across as hypocritical. My other option was...
...but I thought this was more about oversharing than selfies, which I've also ranted about in my post The Oversharing Sickness, do you have it?
N.B. Quite possibly illustrating this post with a selfie has come across as hypocritical. My other option was...
...but I thought this was more about oversharing than selfies, which I've also ranted about in my post The Oversharing Sickness, do you have it?
6 comments:
I was in Angkor Watt during Chinese New Year last year as were many, many Chinese tourists. They pretty well all had selfie sticks and would pose in front of the iconic sights taking not one, not two but multiple pictures (once we counted thirty two shots)oblivious to the queue of other people who wanted to see the sights. Frightful. As you say people don't actually look at what is there, the views, the sights. Why don't they stay home and look in a mirror?
Was thinking about you earlier today as I passed your Mum's shop!
Oh tourist places are the trickiest! You have to be a zen monk not to get irritated! 32 shots? Aaaargh. Oommmm.
Was my Mum pinning crystal? She's been working very hard I hear! :)
Taking selfies of herself? Emily!!!!
I know! What a hypocrite I am, eh? Ooopsie!
No, no, you're not! I was referring to the tautology.
I was on a bus so couldn't actually see if your mum was there but I waved anyway!
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