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Are You Seriously Sick of Selfies Too?

This post is the intellectual property of Jennifer Silverman. Posts, columns, and articles, etc. may only be reprinted with the express written consent of the author. The author’s byline, bio, and copyright notice must be retained in their entirety. Please click here to refer to blog disclaimers. Or, if you wish to reprint or feature a post, please click here to complete the contact form. A version of this piece was published in Florida's oldest weekly newspaper, The News Leader.


BY JENNIFER SILVERMAN


Sometimes being classic and “old-fashioned” is preferable to today’s trends, like selfie syndrome.

I had a revelation yesterday: Perhaps I'm becoming old-fashioned.


I imagine we all have different perspectives of what exactly “old-fashioned” means to us. (I also assume such an utterance from a 30-something comes across as rather odd.)


Allow me to elaborate:


I’m not on social media – except for LinkedIn.


I still own a Tivo for recording and watching my favorite TV shows and movies.


I would much rather screen The Mary Tyler Moore Show than any series currently topping Netflix’s most-watched list.


I don’t care for e-books.


I like the tactical feel of the page turning, appreciate highlighting with an actual hot pink highlighter, and enjoy the sight of physical books from past and present adorning my shelves.


My personal email address still ends in “AOL”.


Neon highlighter markers for highlighting passages in actual, physical books.

I continue to drive the same car I learned to drive in even though it lacks the bells and whistles of today’s vehicles...Perhaps you’re noticing a pattern here.


A couple weeks ago, I attended an immersive Van Gough exhibit with a group of friends. The exhibit was fantastic, but I was surprised that the primary activity of most spectators appeared to be selfies.


I acknowledge that the vibrant Van Gough scenes which danced across the room undoubtably make for prime selfie backdrops. I had to wonder though, are selfies more intriguing than Van Gough?

A cat whose kitty friends are sick of his selfies and considering a selfie intervention.

I may be seriously sick of selfies, but apparently, I'm in the minority.


“Selfie” is such a consistent staple of our lexicon these days that even spellcheck doesn’t seem to object to its ubiquity.


A friend of mine recently encountered a similar phenomenon on vacation in Greece.


Although she and her husband were awestruck by the magnificent views, they at times felt their getaway was invaded by selfie-obsessed zealots – those so determined to capture the perfect image for their social media followers, that the sights and sounds of Greece become secondary to the constant selfie chase.


Maybe selfies are also more intriguing than Greece.


I do understand that selfies are a means of marking occasions and preserving memories, but don't they come at a cost?


Have those suffering from selfie syndrome forgotten how to be present and in the moment? Are they capable of truly enjoying Van Gough, Greece, sunsets, a mani-pedi, or even lunch for that matter?


Stylish woman obsessively taking her fifty-eighth selfie of the day to post on Instagram and share with followers.

In an attempt to be more open-minded, I’ve decided to liken the selfie fixation to my lifelong weakness for beautiful shoes. Even though I have accumulated quite the shoe collection, inevitably another magnificent specimen will catch my eye and beckon me to welcome it into my shoe closet.


Thanks to my newfound shoe-inspired perspective, maybe the selfie zealots and I can understand each other.


So, have I concluded I’d be better off buying a new car with a backup camera, switching all my email accounts to Gmail, and relinquishing my Tivo once and for all? Not quite.


I’m content to remain old-fashioned for now, but pledge to not begrudge myself a selfie should the temptation ever arise.


(By the by, if I ever experience an uncontrollable hankering to take a selfie, we'll know for sure that selfie syndrome is contagious.)


 

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