Are Selfies Destroying Our Generation?

Selfie. I still remember the first time I saw that term. It was on Kendall Jenner's instagram and I thought to myself "Please don't let that become a word.". Of course it did become a word,  a very popular one, and one that I myself use on a pretty regular basis. It's in the Oxford dictionary. It's on everybody's radar, so much so that studies are being done on the effects of selfies, particularly on the younger generation. It seems that the consensus is overwhelmingly negative. Apparently selfies are narcissistic and self-absorbed. I'm here to disagree.

If I take a selfie it's generally for one of two reasons. Either I feel good about the way I look that day, or I'm in a moment so lovely that I want to capture and remember it. I can't find the negative in either of those situations, but some people have managed to. Their first thought may be that those posting selfies are conceited, or trying to prove something. I understand. Our first instinct is to judge. It's human nature. The problem lays in judging someone for feeling good about themselves.

In the world that we have grown up in, it can seem like a small miracle for anyone to honestly feel good about the way they look. We live in a society where we are taught that we are not good enough. We're bombarded with images of standards that are impossible to meet. We are pushed to spend our money on makeup, hair products, weight loss products, anything that will make us better, prettier, more perfect. The weight-loss industry brings in 20 million dollars annually. The average woman spends $15,000 on make-up in her lifetime. Society has made it easy for us to hate ourselves, and now we're made to feel bad for taking photos of ours faces in a rare moment where we like what we look like. Heaven forbid that we have any shred of confidence or self-worth.

When someone posts a selfie, I see it as a surge of self-confidence that everyone, and this generation in particular, desperately needs. Personally, I think it's about time we see the internet flooded with photos of actual people, feeling good about themselves. I'd like to suggest to everyone that there is absolutely nothing wrong with liking the way you look. I'd press you all to look in the mirror and say "You look damn good today." without shame. Even better, post those selfies, hashtag good hair day, and feel good about it. Don't rely on the opinion of anyone else. Don't let other people dictate the way you feel about yourself. Own your confidence. Selfies are not the enemy, self-hate is.