The Looking Glass Self

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Hi reader! Welcome to blog post #6!

This week is all about selfies, self-portraits, and how we constantly document our lives online. 

With smartphones in our pockets, always with us, it seems we cannot really help it. We take pictures of our food, record the places we go, make posts about our joy - and, of course, share photos of our faces.

Out of all the ways we document our lives, selfies are particularly notable. Over the past decade or so, they have become present everywhere. According to Jurgenson, "the selfie is 'authenticated' by the markings of the form, which conveys an intimacy akin to looking in the mirror...The selfie lets us share that mirror-view, what we see when contemplating our self, considering what we are" (Jurgenson, 55). A selfie is a photograph that you take of yourself spontaneously, usually taken with a cell phone camera for the purpose of sharing on social media. It's interesting that Jurgenson describes the authenticity of selfies because they are often criticized for being associated with non-authenticity and narcissism. In my opinion, I feel that posting a selfie for social media is motivated for instant gratification. In this first photo, I randomly captured this "mirror selfie" during a family reunion with no intention of posting. Personally, I take selfies all the time. However, I usually never post them because I never think they are "instagram worthy." 


I argue that selfies form a "visual diary," and a way to share emotions with friends and family. In contrast to self-promotion, self-disclosure does not aim to present the best "polished" self, but rather aims for sympathy through openness and "natural" insights into the self.


https://www.instagram.com/p/CdVvNXKLs0USYuCrruao5uyT2vHEwfSmbKSyu40/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

I hoped you enjoyed my own little visual diary! 

With love, 
Ashley <3


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