Society has been bombarded with selfies! They are everywhere: media, social media, schools, hospitals, churches, weddings, funerals, picnics, even . . . the restrooms. There is the original single selfie; the bestie or bff selfie; the group selfie, also known as an “usie;” and the now famous mirror selfie, which supposedly results in a better selfie. And let’s not forget the selfie photo bombers. Originally these background lurkers were celebrities jumping into pictures with regular folks. While some celebrities apparently still enjoy the occasional photo bomb—including the Queen of England—the rest of us have also joined in the fun. Regardless of what we think of them, one must admit that the Queen’s selfie photo bomb was cute.

Artistic Sustainability

Aside from being extreme overkill, is there reason for concern over this modern phenomenon? Actually, it is not so modern. Who is not familiar with the self-portraits of the artistic masters such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh? Most adults forty years and older have seen movies or pictures depicting the early days of photography: A father would ready the gigantic camera on a tripod and then run to join the rest of the family in the picture before it flashed. Humankind seems always to have been fascinated with depictions of themselves. Perhaps it is part of the creativity given to us by our Creator. So, the concept of the selfie is not exactly new, but is it harmful?

Helpful or Harmful

There are numerous opinions from psychologists, sociologists, physicians, ministers, and other professionals about the benefit or harm of selfies. One concern is the self-obsession of youth. Some would say that youth are naturally self-obsessed anyway. One faction would cite the building of self-esteem while others would note the loss of self-esteem. Still others would say it could be both harmful and helpful depending on the individual. With so many variant opinions, adults are wise to keep an eye on youths’ use of social media of any kind, including posting of selfies. In addition, we can continue to teach young people that God treasures their inner selves more than their outer selfies.

Question of the Day: Can a mirror or camera reflect the true self?

Talk Topic Scriptures: Psalm 26:2-3; 2 Corinthians 10:12; Hebrews 4:16.

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