selfie essay

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    In the article The problem with selfies the author expresses their view on thenew medium, selfies. The author uses an array of characterization to disprove that theobject in question are a form of new art medium. The author presents both a positiveaspect to the concept of selfies and examples, which diminish the form as an art.Throu hout the entire wor!, the author builds upon their thesis, that is that selfies are not

    only a form of art, rather detrimental to human character. "yan uses personal examplesand professional perspective to bac! his thesis up. #hile his viewpoints and article have astron presence of bias, his ar ument is indeed correct. It is both his formulation and

    presentation of the thesis and personal examples which lead to a reement with the author.Throu hout the passa e, the writer $aniel "yan uses several instances to prove

    his ar ument that selfies are not a form of art. The first of many instances in the wor! is a personal example. In this personal example, the author retells the story of a visit to%tonehen e, a location !nown to attract tourists based on history. &owever, we see thattourists are not attracted for the actual context of %tonehen e, rather to ta!e selfies there.This example is correctly used in provin the authors thesis in that the individuals whohave travelled to this mysterious location have done it not for the majesty of the site, or

    the mystery that has surrounded it for centuries, rather they have chosen to attend for personal lory. It is evident that the tourists care much more about their own popularityand the thou hts others have when seein the individual next to this world'renown touristlocation. The concept of selfies does in fact promote isolation because the artist, that is tosay the individual who too! the photo raph, cares more about themselves and the lorythey acquire from ta!in a photo raph of themselves with the monument more than themonument itself. #e see that this instance is detrimental in that narcissism is bein

    promoted. (arcissism by definition is the concept of carin for oneself and their own personal well bein above the rest. The individual presents no care for the monument, theculture, or the history behind it, rather they care only for themselves. The personalexample of %tonehen e is a reat form of supportin the thesis because throu h this one

    story, the chan e in human nature has become evident) society has shifted from theinterests behind such majestic landmar!s to carin more about the lory one attains forsimply snappin a photo near one and more importantly the popularity it ives theindividual, deterrin from the concept of art.

    In addition to a personal example, "yan is able to stron ly formulate his thesis by providin information from experts. The author first uses the assertion from *rofessors*amela "uterford to prove his point) selfies are not art, they are a detrimental medium."uterford asserts that the medium of selfies is a method by which individuals can selltheir story. +ther experts such as aren (elson who ar ues that sefies have turned peopleinto a product further support this assertion. The concept of humans as a product isfurther supported by Teresa &ammon-s findin s) females who present themselves in

    provocative poses or attire ain a false sense of popularity. ltimately, selfies aredetrimental because people no lon er view themselves with autonomy. *hilosopher%i mund /reud ar ued that humans are separate from other animals because they possesautonomy. &owever it is evident that society no lon er holds this ideal true. *eople nowcare more about mar!etin themselves as a product. This is a violation of autonomy inthe sense that a person is no lon er viewed as a person, nor are they viewed for beinthemselves. In &ammon-s example we see that a irl would find it perfectly acceptable tomar!et herself in vul arity for the sheer sense of false self'esteem. The individual no

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    lon er cares for himself or herself, only how others view them. Throu h this example,"yan is able to further demonstrate why his point is indeed correct. "yan uses shift insociety to show how selfies are not an art. They cannot be an art because they neither

    promote two views the arts hold above all0 uniqueness and creativity. %elfies have acommon formula, that is, the individual must do anythin and everythin possible to

    mar!et themselves as a false bein . This cannot be art because it shows neitherauthenticity nor creativity. 1any view art as an expression of emotions, however throu hthe experts, we see that there is no emotion behind the concepts of selfies, only the idealsof mar!etin . The problem with selfies, as presented by the experts, is it promotes thedeterioration of human character. The experts presented how the concept of a selfie hasshifted society-s importance of humans from autonomous creatures, to products.

    %imilarly to "yan and the experts presented in the article, I have seen first handthe ne ative connotations to selfies, which not only disprove their merit as art but alsoemphasize their ne ative impact on society. 2urrently we live in a world where theheroes of many children are controversial icons. 1any icons have not only parta!en inthe trend of selfies but also promoted it. There are instances where the selfie may seem

    harmless li!e that of "yan %ecrest in Time %quare on the countdown to the new year,however there are much reater instances in which the only thin a selfie is meant to dois to spar! controversy, similar to many of 1iley %yrus- selfies and actions. 3s a tutor atlocal elementary schools and middle schools around campus, I have seen the ne ativity of seflies. It is evident that children in rades 4 throu h 5 care little about themselves. +necould aru e a ainst this, however this would be a difficult tas! to do after seein how thechildren treat themselves. The concept of selfies to these children, who are heavilyinfluenced by the media and their icons, is to sell yourself at any and all costs. Thechildren have shifted from the importance of personal autonomy and communication toexpression of words and actions throu h one photo raph. I see children who daily opt tota!e selfies as a means of communication rather than actually tal!in . Two fifth raderswho are ri ht next to each other find it much more meanin ful to express their mentalstate throu h a photo raph rather than communication. ids attempt various tas!s whoseoutcome is si nificantly outwei hed by the ris! just so they can capture the tas! and

    become popular. 6ven in colle e people fail to see the dan ers of the selfie. I seeclassmates who pay thousands of dollars to attend colle e and acquire a hi her form ofeducation ne lect their academic responsabilities as well as ne lect any form of attentionto instructors with the aspiration that their selfie will ive them five upvotes or a matchon tindr. *eople o so far as to ta!e selfies of themselves completely nude just so they cansend them out to masses of stran ers in the hopes of ainin poplularity. I present theseexamples because much li!e "yan-s own, they demonstrate that the ne ative outcomes ofthe seflie outwei h any and all form of merit that would constitute selfies as an art. In myexamples I present how the idea of a selfie is detrimental because of the ne ative impactsit has on society. %ociety has dettered to the point where children no lon er care aboutthemselves. #e see that the most important thin to an individual is a false sense of

    popularity. 3 selfie, much li!e modelin is a false form of art. %imilar to modelin , aselfie presents impossible standards that no individual is capable of ever reachin . 3s aresult individuals hurt themselves and at times others around them in futile attempts toreach these false standards. The children I discussed try to live up to their heroes at thecost of their autonomy. They view the false sense of popularity and self'esteem as an

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    ultimate oal, which has resulted in a new defintion of the youth in which the culture as awhole stoops to new lows. /urthermore we can see that even well educated adults havene ative characteristics when attemptin the medium. #e see that well educatedindividuals perform careless actions for popularity. I personally view selfies as a form ofcancer in society, a cancer in which people no lon er view themselves with respect, and

    ultimately, that is why I a ree with the author.%elfies are not an art. They require neither creativity nor uniqeness. The mediumselfies have one focal point0 popularity. In an attempt to ain this lory, individuals

    become narcissistic and shallow. They bein to care less and less about themselves andmore about becomin famous throu h false representation. Throu hout the wor!, "yan

    presented several instances in which he successfully proved why a selfie is not a mediumof art. "yan ar ued that selfies are a ne ative medium and a form of social re ression. &eused the modern day view of monuments such as %tonehen e in which lory is moreimportant that culture and history. In addition "yan presents expert viewpoints in whichthe concept of a selfie is proven tot be anythin but art., successfully provin hisar ument. It is stron ly shown that psycholo ists and mar!etin experts do not view

    selfies as art. They view the medium as a way for individuals to trade in personal respectand autonomy with the aspirations to mar!et themselves. It is effectively presented thathuman autonomy is no lon er valued nor cared for. #hile 7erry %alz ar ues that selfiesare a form of expressin emotions, both "yan and Teresa &ammon disprove this claim."yan shows how the medium is only a bland form of narcissism in which there is nodemonstration of actual emotion. Teresa &ammon supports this by presentin how selfieshave failed to express empotion, only bein able to ive the parta!er isolation and falsehappiness. In an attempt to acquire this false hapinness, the individuals who parta!e

    become narcasistic and only care about themselves as a product, not a person. In additionto "yan-s example and expert !nowled e, I a ree with the claim based on personalexamples. I discussed how this medium has impacted both children and youn adultsali!e. I have come to see individuals ive up the majority if not all of their personalrespect with aspirations ainin false popularity throu h selfies. I have seen manyindividuals come to harm themselves and their dreams due to one bad selfie. In an a ewhere everyone leaves a di ital footprint, the selfie is no art. The selfie is a instrument inwhich individuals do nothin more than harm themselves. #hile there is stron bias fromthe article as well as myself, it can be stron ly ar ued that the selfie is not an art, rather a

    problem in modern day society.