Although the selfie plays a large role in boosting self-esteem it can sometimes take a wrong turn. The selfie can be detrimental because people sometimes rely on it to define themselves as beautiful. The selfie gives a person the power to manipulate their picture in a way to create an ideal version of themselves. The Huffington Post article "Are Selfies a sign of Low Self Esteem- The Greater the 'Pose' the Greater the Desire For Others' Attention" shares an anecdote that sums up this argument. The author references her friend's daughter who takes many selfies in the mirror and tries to live up to be "perfectly beautiful". She is " seeking something from the mirror, from the photo that she is lacking deep down" (Kesses).
When children go through that transition phase as they enter their teen years they are changing both physically and mentally. During this vulnerable stage, the selfie can be manipulated to make them "feel pretty enough" ( Kessess), and fit in with societies standards. However, the standards society sets for teens makes them feel ugly. The Dove Evolution video clearly shows one of the high standards society puts in place. The video conveys the distortion of an average woman's face, to a point where its humanly impossible to achieve that look. This makes teenagers, but specifically girls," feel ugly, not pretty enough" (Kessess). The selfie can be manipulated and transformed to fit societies standards but with every modification a piece of a child's self esteem is broken. They feel like they are not good enough to express who they are, and must attempt to conform to social expectations. Do we really want this new generation growing up feeling like they are not good enough? |
The Dove Evolution Video exploits the manipulation that occurs behind the scenes.
Seeking something from the mirror.. that she is lacking deep down |