Are we so enchanted by our own reflection than reality itself that we are ushering in our catastropheIJ Or is this self-preaching a way to rebuild identities in a world of anodyne flatness, asks Rinku Ghosh
So, even Artificial Intelligence (AI) has developed an emotional quotient or at least a degree of self-awareness about its power. This is not a script for Hollywood’s next sci-fi film, but the Mars Rover’s pictures of itself which NASA is circulating widely.
Elephants, too, have become self-conscious. last week, naturalists went gaga over a calf who miraculously snapped itself by pressing the button of a camera phone that had mistakenly fallen into its enclosure in the UK after a tourist lost balance. Even if accidental, the world’s first ‘elfie’ has now gone viral.
And soaring high in the spirit of The Fountainhead, humans are measuring their conquest — physical, metaphorical and spiritual — by taking selfies atop our earthly and man-made heights. Photographer lee Thompson, who is documenting the progress of the FIFA world cup at Rio, decided to have his moment of spiritual ascension by getting up, close and personal with the Christ the Redeemer statue. What we got was an amazing worldview, of looking at creation down below sitting on the shoulders of Christ himself. The question is who indeed needs redemption after such a vainglorious momentIJ One who has got rid of even vestigial humility.
Are we so enchanted by our own reflection than reality itself that we are ushering in our own catastropheIJ Or is this self-preaching a way to rebuild identities in a world of anodyne flatnessIJ It is easy to dismiss the selfie phenomenon as a frill and a fad, a trivial pursuit, one which has supplanted fashion itself as the new style statement. But can one discount its scope in our lives, society, economy and polityIJ According to a latest survey, the frequency of the use of the word selfie has increased by 17,000 per cent over the past year. Surely this is not just self-obsession pushed to ridiculous extremes; it clearly has emerged as the most potent force of self-expression and a wider social acceptance by virtue of its shareability.
NEW SOCIETAl PRISM
For centuries, the human being has been controlling the way he wants to project himself to the world. Selfies are just an egotistical extreme of this basic tendency. At its best, it is about overt self-confidence; at its worst it is about hiding low self-esteem.
Psychologist Nikhil Raheja explains how the selfie is astride the cusp of vanity and personality. “People keep changing their DPs (display pictures) on Facebook and WhatsApp, sort of reinventing their boring lives and expecting people to appreciate them. They desperately seek the approval of others, which tends to affect their psychological health,” he says.
The desperation with which the selfie-taker seeks the approval of other people on a social networking site, in the form of likes and comments, is an outrageous indicator of the prevailing low self-esteem in a society that is being increasingly plateaued out by homogeneity. The obsession with the self is gradually turning into an epidemic, likely to head towards a culmination akin to that of Narcissus.
“Self-regard and self-esteem have gone for a toss. The response received on selfies now has the power to determine whether you will have a good or bad day, never mind your other achievements. For instance, if you see 100 likes on your picture, you are likely to begin your day on a happy note. But only 20 likes might be a spoiler. People are ready to throw away a particular outfit or never repeat a hairdo if they do not receive enough appreciation,” says Dr Raheja, who has been analysing behavioural patterns of practitioners.
A behemoth acknowledgment certainly raises self-esteem but one must not forget the disastrous repercussions a lukewarm response might have. “A positive response to a selfie might satiate the urge of being accepted to a certain extent, but it can never boost self-confidence. The social platforms where individuals seek acceptance make for a pseudo make-believe world where they only receive instant gratification from the people they remotely know. Failing to receive a satisfactory response on a selfie, however, might result in shattered self-esteem and even lead to depression,” explains Dr Raheja.
“Selfies are not bad. All of us, at some point or the other, have taken pictures of ourselves and circulated them among our close friends, sharing experiences and emotions. But they should not become a parameter for human existence,” he adds.
Historically, self-portraits have been the personal markers of those having arrived in society, truthful enough to hide the blemishes. The royalty graduated from paintings to photography, wearing their finest and looking their best, hoping to get an edge over others by being the odd one out. Explaining contemporary echoes, Dr Raheja says, “Considering that we live in a dynamic world, people continue to be obsessed but they want to do it in a slightly different way. An aberration always attracts more attention than routine, and selfies began as an aberration. Then it turned into a tool of self-appraisal and finally became self-consuming.”
Selfies, therefore, have become our individual way of story-telling in a glut of globalised emotions. Sometimes they are raw and bold, like the intense privacy series on beds, bathrooms, warts and moles; sometimes abstract, like a series on hands and feet as an impersonal extension of our personal self, some extravagant, like positioning ourself against backdrops of what defines ultra living, cars, travels, fashion and restaurants, and some humorous ones like the fish-pout and the by now ubiquitous duck-face. But the overstatement of ideas has led to a beehive mimicry that has all but reduced the very purpose of the selfie, to stand out among everybody, not become every man. The crazier you become, the next person you want to beat becomes the craziest. Society, according to noted sociologist, Dr TK Oommen, is, therefore, feeding off a phenomenon that constantly reminds you what you do not have. “A selfie is an indication of the craving for recognition, born out of the sense of deprivation. We feel valued when we put ourselves out there and somebody responds. So, a selfie is a power tool in our incomplete lives, giving us unrestrained freedom to do what we want.”
The selfie is a subtext of the democratic grammar of social media. As Dr Oommen says, traditional media has always been the hallmark of recognition. “For you to become a newsmaker, you need to get into some place of recognition. To walk into some place of recognition, you need to be invited. And to be invited, you need to be a person of substance. You cannot participate unless somebody else is willing or wanting you in. But when it comes to the social media, which encapsulates the selfie, one doesn’t have to depend on anybody for an entry. This non-dependency on societal qualifications and easy ability to attract eyeballs, being liked and commented upon is encouraging many to come out fearlessly.”
In that sense, selfies have empowered sub-cultures and the marginalised, helping them overcome their inhibitions and communicate their point of view. Pictures, they say, tell a thousand words and the selfie, therefore, is the new free speech. Be it activism (a selfie series of breast cancer survivors recently initiated a huge fund-raising drive), celebrity management (selfies document our idols better than paparazzi and encourage them to announce their inner truth at times) or politicians (from US President Barack Obama to our own Prime Minister Narendra Modi), selfies have helped them stay connected and make a potent statement at the very microbial level.
THE ARTISTRY OF AN IMAGE
The cultural impact of the selfie is now being felt in the traditional arts as well. Alpesh Dave is a modest artist based in Ahmedabad. He doesn’t speak much of English, leave aside its morphed faddisms, but has been quick to catch society’s “sudden obsession with the self”. He spends up to eight hours a day making self-portraits, using a needle and thread on canvas. He has recently delivered 10 self-portraits to buyers in Delhi through an eminent art gallery. Be it mixed media, watercolours or oil, the demand for self-portraits — once a preserve of the most privileged — is going up exponentially.
Dave adds, “The contemporary man believes in thorough exploration. Many get inspired by my work and then want their self-portraits made in a similar technique. These portraits are often used as expensive gift items or decoration pieces in drawing rooms. I make portraits using a person’s close-up shots as references. My work involves different intricacies like choosing the exact coloured thread, precise needle movement and an eye for catching the character of a person. With changing mindsets, on-demand portraits are the new norm.”
Every John Doe can now commission an artist of their choice and get their expression of self-love. During the Renaissance in Europe, commissioning was the exclusive preserve of the kings and nobility, the portrait equivalent to a royal seal, a marker exemplifying their rule and assisting in diplomacy. With growing accessibility to willing artists, anyone with decent money and a lot of self-obsession can become the new age patron. “Some people are crazy about seeing themselves painted. There is too much of self-love that goes into coming up with such a demand in the first place. Moreover, self-portraits help an artist sustain himself as it is a complete commercial segment in fine arts,” says Snehashish Maity, a Kolkata-based portrait painter.
Earlier, portraits had a prime intention of capturing an image of a person in deficient technology. Today, technology can pan you to the gills. That explains the reflux of art as an instrument of mystique. Expressing concern over elements of self-indulgence and vanity in self-portraits, Maity says, “Thirty to forty years ago, we had joint families. People had a deep sense of togetherness. Before anyone did something for themselves, enough was thought about the other. Today, people have grown self-centric and the sense of individualism is only increasing. The sensibilities in which self-portraits of our age will be made will automatically reflect the current times. Apart from commissioned portraits, my other artworks very evidently reflect this new progression in society.”
Psychologist Rippan Sippy attributes the renewed interest in photography to this changed mindset. “Today, a photo is more about showing off and influencing others than seeking remembrance. Rather than obsession, I would describe the selfie revolution as more of social intimidation and high self-branding. People can take a snap without seeking help from others whenever they feel the moment is opportune and they are looking good. The pleasure of your inner self is more important than locating yourself in the context of a social occasion. This is because social approval of selfies ultimately leads to inner pleasure.”
The artistry has quite literally extended to the human body itself becoming a canvas of art. According to the annual survey conducted by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), one in three facial plastic surgeons surveyed saw a rise in procedures due to the insecurity associated with displaying their looks on social media.
This Dorian Gray-like obsession to remain ethereal and timeless in a picture frame has but led to the extreme hideousness of tampering with nature. Since selfies are usually shot from close proximity, they can reveal flaws more easily. Besides, they define a process of self-documentation, one that captures the transforming moments, days and years. So, it is but natural that the selfie is an extension of legacy-seeking, one that would show up as good-looking, age-defying and vibrant. The appearance-conscious society has pushed body sculpting to ridiculous extremities, like the human Barbie doll, whose selfies have not only gone viral but show the extent to which man is ready to play God and rewrite creation itself.
THE CAPTIVE MARKET OF CUlT FOllOWERS
The selfie has now emerged as a soft-push marketing tool. The Oscar selfie by Ellen De Generes or the Kolkata Knight Riders’ victorious faces weren’t really off the cuff but a clever way to push manufacturers’ new smartphone launches. The Oscar moment came ahead of the launch of Samsung’s new model to break into the Apple-saturated market of the US, while the KKR’s spontaneous moments were subsidiary endorsement of Nokia’s latest lumia series, which has also been a sponsor of IPl. Most marketers are now leveraging selfies taken by celebrities during a highly popular event to subtly establish their value as a must-have product. They are building a wishlist of sorts, albeit imperceptibly.
While it remains to be seen if this can have a lasting impact on a brand’s overall selling strategy and consumer perception, selfies can force-feed any product in a short span of time. One of the reasons you find dolled up selfies of Sonam Kapoor or Deepika Padukone is because they embody the tacit endorsement of the brands that go into their cosmetic appeal. Sonam’s l’Oreal look in selfies has spawned a YouTube beauty tutorial by the brand, while her designer dresses have created a buzz among fashionistas caught in couture clichés.
Jumping on the bandwagon, grooming brand Philips recently teamed up with MTV for its selfie contest called the StyleTurf. Couples were required to style themselves, click a selfie and post it on social networking websites. The winning couple was featured on MTV. Similarly, VIP Skybags launched a quirky campaign on social media called ‘Back is the new front’ to promote its backpack collection. This led to a reverse selfie contest. Young people turned their backs to the camera, using either a mirror or a photographer. In another instance, eBay India ran a selfie contest on Instagram to celebrate nine years of its existence. The e-commerce brand managed to create a virtual birthday bash for its community and grab eyeballs of potential online buyers. MTS 3GPlus network’s latest commercial shows a new-born taking a selfie and posting it on Instagram.
“The market uses the mood of the moment to ride on. The selfie is naturally a tool of extending a brand among customers. The methodology is easy since it involves ordinary individuals and no big star or budgets. At the same time, the smart use of technology convinces consumers that you are the ‘with it’ brand,” says marketing guru Dilip Cherian.
Brands cashing in on selfies have had varying degrees of success. Samsung drew criticism that it squeezed its way into the most shared tweet of all time, claiming Ellen De Generes “organically” incorporated the brand into her Oscar selfie. Nonetheless, marketers pegged the selfie’s outreach value between $800 million and $1 billion. Camera brand GoPro used an image of a fan on the summit of Mount Everest, which was again cited as an example of a brand hijacking the trend. “But the risks are low since selfies are short-lived. The capital is minimum since you are maneuvering around social networking websites, which is all about a day of retweeting and hits,” says adman Prahlad Kakkar, who believes that only relevant brands fit into this genre of marketing. “like UCB, which is all about people and colours. So it has set up shop where people dress up and then post pictures on their Facebook page. They make it interactive too. Anybody can access the models in those pictures. So, that way it opens up an exclusive market for ordinary people,” he says.
There’s more to love and admire when it comes to selfies by Bollywood actors. They are enjoying the attention as well as minting money. Smartphones, a tool for selfies, are endorsed by the likes of Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone. “Star selfies are a new calling card since most actors are selling cellphones and are brand ambassadors of telecom giants. The more popular their selfies get, the more commercials they are going to get. It’s a pure money gamble beyond good-looking pictures,” says image analyst Simi Chandoke.
The beauty industry has capitalised on makeup-free selfies to develop a more inclusive appeal. Cosmetic majors like Dove are selling products that help you glow with your inner beauty by tom-tomming the no-makeup look in their selfie campaign involving regular women. “This started in the West with an online campaign and eventually became a sensation here. Now, there are colourless mascara, moisturiser tints and nude lip glosses to wear for makeup-free pictures. So, the brand has been able to extend its portfolio by virtue of its ‘tested and true’ selfies,” says Chandoke.
In the end, a self-image is crafted and much deliberated upon even if it may appear supercilious. It is about desirability and winnability. It is about creating an impact. So selfie, the phenomenon, may look like a needless imposition on our overburdened sensorium, but one that will last till we find the next big tool to stand apart and be counted.
(Inputs by Karan Bhardwaj, Pallavi Gupta, Darpan Mago and Trisha Mukherjee)
