Author Archives: Michelle Choi

As a Korean-Canadian, if I ever wanted to learn more about my predecessors, the roots of my culture, or the overall history of either nation, I have the privilege to access and learn from archival texts. Although it may not be possible for these records to encompass every aspect of history, at the very least, I have something tangible to refer to. However, there are many societies around the world wherein their history has been re-written by colonial powers and the original records remain unacknowledged. West African societies constitute a great portion of this silenced community due to its tradition of oral storytelling and minimal documentation of their history (aside from colonial records). In this blog post, I will analyze the misrepresented history of West African societies as a result of colonialism and the role that archivists may play in giving rise to the silenced historians of West Africa.

Griots are the oral storytellers of West Africa, who have been around for nearly a thousand years, reciting the histories of different cultures and tribes through mostly songs, poems, etc. Historically, they held very powerful positions in society alongside the king, but with the dawn of colonialism and the collapse of African empire, the face of orally transmitted history was consequently changed, and the formerly esteemed griots never redeemed their status. In his work with examining the power of archives, Rodney Carter addresses that silencing occurs when the voice is not acknowledged by others due to a lack of power, or especially when record-keeping traditions differ from Western practices, e.g., oral storytelling vs. literary/written documents (218-219). In this context, the historic accounts from dominant powers may be regarded as more legitimate than those who were colonized.

Although these colonial records may have served a useful purpose at one point, they have tainted the outside perceptions of West Africa societies through their heavily prejudiced perspectives. Carter highlights that “powerful” groups of a society heavily influence the documents that enter archives/shape the entire archive itself, and such groups will exert dominance over the “weaker” groups in society (217-218). For instance, African women have held notable positions within society as female griots (griottes) and influential singers, yet common Western beliefs regard them as being harshly oppressed since earlier times. In sum, this mere glimpse into the devastating effects of colonialism on griots and traditions of oral storytelling reveals that colonizers recklessly distorted West African history. Due to their level of influence, the biased colonial views have permeated Western society and fostered flawed perspectives of West African communities.

Contemporary griots have significantly decreased in number and many use their craft to perform in shows (in non-traditional settings) around the world, particularly in Europe. What was once considered a traditional practice that preserved West African culture has transformed into solely forms of entertainment, consumed by the people whose ancestors seized the African territory and silenced the powerful voices of griots. Perhaps hosting these shows are educative and could possibly alter the perspectives of West African communities; however, it is not as effective in reclaiming and correcting their history to a greater extent. Here, I suggest that archivists utilize their influence by creating a post-colonial archive, specific to West Africa. By inviting the griots into the planning and administrative process, archivists could allow them to challenge the “conceptualizations of the mainstream” and use their own voice in regards to “access, use, and display” (Carter 226, 231); in doing so, I believe that these archives could help empower griots and ultimately restore their legitimacy.

In examining the potential that post-colonial archives carry in correcting the misrepresented West African history through exploring their traditional oral stories, it encourages us, as Canadian citizens, to reflect on the possible gaps in Canadian history, as well. Given that First Nations people also have a tradition of oral storytelling, it is important that we ruminate on what may be missing or misconstrued within Canada’s national archives regarding Indigenous peoples and their history.

Works Cited

Carter, Rodney. “Of Things Said and Unsaid: Power, Archival Silences, and Power in Silence.” Archivaria 61, 2006. pp. 215-33.

“Contemporary Jaliyaa.” Baba the Storyteller, n.d., https://babathestoryteller.com/the-ancient-craft-of-jaliyaa/contemporary-jaliyaa/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2018.

Keller, Harlee. “Griot is the Word: the Dichotomous Relationship Between Written and Oral History in West Africa.” from Soundcloud, 2015,  https://www2.humboldt.edu/isjournal/sites/default/files/Griot-is-the-Word.pdf.

Lott, Joanna. “Keepers of History.” Penn State News, 1 May 2002, http://news.psu.edu/story/140694/2002/05/01/research/keepers-history. Accessed 8 Apr. 2018.

“My Culture – Griot Tradition.” Seckou Keita, n.d., http://www.seckoukeita.com/my-story/my-culture/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2018.

“Native American Oral Storytelling & History | Seth Fairchild | TEDxSMU.” YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 3 Nov. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JcKbN_GjCE.

Trigger warning: this blog post contains triggering and/or sensitive information about sexual assault.

Since the breakout of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in October 2017, the ever-expanding list of sexual assault allegations against well-known male figures across various industries has received many responses from fellow male celebrities (including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon), condemning the abhorrent actions. Most of these responses, however, follow the same pattern:

“As a father… as a brother… as a husband…” 

“Let’s imagine if this happened to our sisters, our mothers, our wives.”

This line of rhetoric is not something new – almost every time a female is a victim of any sort of violent crime, we can observe a flood of empathetic reactions (primarily addressed to and from males) with underlying messages that have long-lasting and daunting consequences. My blog post is based upon the themes of this issue as presented in The Belle Jar’s post: “I am Not Your Wife, Sister or Daughter”, in which Anne Theriault investigates the adverse effects of those kinds of messages on all parties (i.e. the perpetrator, the victim, and the whole population in general). I will be analyzing the problematic nature of those responses/statements as well as the implications they have on females, in particular.

 Theriault explores the dangers behind the responses that empathize with the female victim(s), for they automatically limit and place her in relation to the men in her life. These messages, according to Theriault, ultimately feed into rape culture (a society that normalizes sexual abuse), for they imply that it was wrong to rape a female merely because she was somebody’s daughter/sister/wife, not because she was a person. Many male celebrities have denounced sexual abusers in the similar fashion that was explicated by Theriault:

Ben Affleck’s tweet regarding the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Source: Twitter

“As the father of four daughters, this kind of sexual predation keeps me up at night. This is the great fear for all of us… We have to be vigilant and we have to help protect and call this stuff out, because we have our sisters and our daughters and our mothers.”

Matt Damon’s Interview with Deadline Hollywood.

I noted that men bring themselves into the picture by placing a possessive pronoun before mother/daughter/wife (e.g., our/your/my daughter). This possessive pronoun serves a completely contradictory and disturbing purpose – instead of separating females from the sexualisation and objectification they experience, the possessive pronoun actually objectifies them even more in that they are now perceived as fragile entities that must be protected by the heroic men in their lives. The sympathy and sadness would therefore arise not primarily from the awful nature of the sexual assault of the female, but more so from the failure of men to fulfill their roles/responsibilities of defending them.

But, what about the women who are not anyone’s wife, mother, or daughter? Theriault also proposes other questions: “Did they deserved to be raped? Not worthy of protection?” In Jiwani and Young’s “Missing and Murdered Women,” they analyze the ways in which the media presents missing sex workers by drawing on Lisa McLaughlin’s work, where she notes that society has labelled only “mothers, wives, and daughters” as good, “virtuous” women worthy of saving (900). Although Jiwani and Young’s work mainly revolves around the media portrayal of sex workers, their analysis is a fitting response to Theriault’s questions: the value of a female is solely measured by or limited to her relationships and in the case of sexual violence, her relationships with men. In this context, one’s status as a daughter/mother/wife increases her value and ensures protection.

The truth and reality that these responses fail to highlight is that women are people first, before they are anyone else’s daughter, mother, or wife. That fact alone should be enough to elicit sympathy from others and, more importantly, ensure females of respect and agency.

Works Cited

Anne Theriault. “I Am Not Your Wife, Sister, or Daughter.” The Belle Jar, 18 Mar. 2013, https://bellejar.ca/2013/03/18/i-am-not-your-wife-sister-or-daughter/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2018.

Fleming, Mike. Interview with Matt Damon. Deadline Hollywood, 10 Oct. 2017, http://deadline.com/2017/10/matt-damon-harvey-weinstein-russell-crowe-sexual-abuse-scandal-interview-1202185574/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2018.

Jiwani, Yasmin & Young, Mary Lynn. “Missing and Murdered Women: Reproducing Marginality in News Discourse.” Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 31, no. 2, 2006, 900. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/219564084?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=14656. Accessed 1 Mar. 2018.

Kantor, Jodi & Twohey, Megan. “Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades.” The New York Times, 5 Oct. 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/us/harvey-weinstein-harassment-allegations.html. Accessed 1 Mar. 2018.

Peck, Emily. “Why the ‘I’m A Father of Daughters’ Line Is Irrelevant In The Discussion Of Sexual Assault.” The Huffington Post, 10 Dec. 2017, https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/10/11/why-the-im-a-father-of-daughters-line-is-irrelevant-in-the-discussion-of-sexual-assault_a_23240458/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2018.

The Amazonia exhibit at the Museum of Anthropology located on the UBC campus invites its visitors to explore various aspects of everyday lives of the Indigenous people in the Amazon. Each artefact symbolizes a significant aspect of various Indigenous cultures, all of which – despite their different traditions and lifestyles – follow a holistic approach to growth and progress. Most notably, the exhibit highlights how their lives have been under long-time threat due to colonialism and the Western perception of “development” and “modernity.” I found the Yanomami shoto, baskets made by the Yanomami (who reside in the rainforest of northern Amazonia), to be the key object that clearly reflected the destructive nature of modernization on Indigenous communities and their livelihoods. In this blog post, I will examine the detrimental effects of European notions of development on the Yanomami people to highlight how Western modernization has virtually no place in Indigenous societies.

Modernization is often referred to as an advancement from a traditional society to one that is industrialized and has improved in social, economic, political, and technological aspects. Through the Western lens, the Yanomami (who continue to rely on hunting and agriculture) may therefore be perceived as under-developed or, at most, in the early stages of progression. In William Cronon’s Changes in the Land, the chapter “Bounding the Land” highlights how the European colonizers established a strong correlation between property and wealth and consequently developed a theory that the Indigenous people “failed” to “improve”, for they did not make much use of the resources on their land (55). However, upon analyzing the designs on the Yanomami shoto, it could be concluded that there is not and never was a dire need for their people to improve or develop their way of living.

The Yanomami shoto, otherwise known as the baskets that are used as serving trays or for storing materials.

Photos by Michelle Choi.

On their baskets, the Yanomami drew numerous circles to allocate the areas that are used for various reasons (e.g., fishing, hunting, rituals, etc.). From these illustrations, I noted that the Yanomami had already established a complex and sustainable system of slash-and-burn agriculture and hunting, long before the spread of Western notions of modernization through colonialism. It was only when they came into contact with outsiders in the 20^th century (the beginning of the exploitative mining practices) that they began to experience the paradoxical consequences of modernization – the Yanomami are currently facing life-threatening risks due to the mining industry that has overtaken their land. The social and ecological consequences therefore reinforce the argument at hand – based on the structure of Indigenous societies, modernization is an ill-fitting system of exploitation.

In order to grasp a better understanding of the structure of Indigenous societies, I would like to present a counter-perspective to the Western notions of growth and progress through an anthropological framework. Cultural relativism is the notion that individuals should view the values and practices of an individual/group of people in the context of the other party’s respective culture, and not in terms of their own. If European explorers studied the Yanomami using cultural relativism, the focus would not be on their failure to develop into an industrial society, but rather on their inspiring ability to view nature as one with the human population. What ensued, however, was the violent attempt at modernizing the Indigenous society, which the colonial powers continue to benefit from at the expense of millions of Indigenous lives.

Works Cited:

Albert, Bruce. “The Age of Development.” Povos Indigenas No Brasil, June 1999, https://pib.socioambiental.org/en/povo/yanomami/574. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Choi, Michelle. Photo of Yanomami Shoto. 2018., Vancouver.

Corino, Joji. “Indigenous Peoples: Poverty and Well-being.” State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, 14 Jan. 2010, http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/SOWIP/press%20package/sowip-press-package-en.pdf. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Cronon, William. “Bounding the Land.” Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England, Hill & Wang, 1983, pp. 55-57.

“Cultural Relativism.” Lumen: Cultural Anthropology, n.d., https://courses.lumenlearning.com/culturalanthropology/chapter/cultural-relativism/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Kumar, Krishan. “Modernization.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Mar. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/modernization. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Martin, Stephanie. “The Yanomami Tribe.” Life for a Forest: The Nature and Travel Blog, 31 Aug. 2015, http://lifeforaforest.com/2015/08/31/the-yanomami-tribe/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Porto, Nuno. Amazonia: The Rights of Nature, 10 Mar. 2017. 18 Feb. 2018, Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, BC.

As we have discussed in our ASTU 100 class, autobiographies take shape in various forms including selfies, documentaries, memoirs, and testimonios. Each piece narrates someone’s story whether it be a short snippet of their day or a life-long account. In a similar fashion, Draw My Life videos fall into the same category of autobiographies. Through YouTube, an online video-sharing domain, Draw My Life videos have gained immense popularity since 2011, reaching its peak in 2013. The name itself is self-explanatory, in that YouTubers draw out their lives on a whiteboard, highlighting the key events that they believe have significantly shaped them. The vast majority of popular YouTubers (e.g., Shane Dawson, Lilly Singh, Michelle Phan, etc.) partook in this trend and have made their own Draw My Life videos. In this post, I will analyze the common patterns within Draw My Life videos, how they shape the representation of YouTubers, and its influence on other autobiographical videos.

Most Draw My Life videos follow a distinct pattern that sparks inspiration within its viewers – prior to becoming a YouTuber, most of them faced great challenges, which they overcame by resorting YouTube as a means of consolation or seeking recuperation in other ways. Lilly Singh, a Canadian YouTuber who has amassed over 12 million subscribers, recounts in her video her severe struggle with mental illness. Likewise, both Ryan Higa and Shane Dawson struggled with racism, abuse, or poverty. I discovered that each of these YouTubers’ videos accumulated around 10+ million views and that the most popular Draw My Life videos were stories of overcoming certain hardships. The exceptionally high number of viewers suggests that it is only these success stories in which YouTubers defeat seemingly insurmountable barriers that best capture the audience’s attention. I noted that the excessive emphasis on these success stories sets a certain standard that measures the validity of one’s hardships. For instance, on Bethany Mota’s video, many viewers discredited her past as a victim of bullying, by insisting her story was “the brightest of all YouTubers’ pasts” and that they were “waiting for the bad stuff.” In Couser’s “Rhetoric and Self-Representation in Disability Memoir”, he discusses the rhetorics of disability life narratives to which I recognized that the rhetoric of triumph correlates with the pattern of successful Draw My Life videos. In rhetoric of triumph, the positive reception of the memoir lies within the author’s inspirational and successful story of overcoming their disability (Couser, 33-34). Analyzed in this context, YouTubers are idolized as resilient fighters against life obstacles and this status makes them worthy of watching.

Although Draw My Life videos serve as autobiographies in a visual form, the fixed framework for the videos (that garner most attention) generalize successful YouTubers as individuals who have experienced and overcome some form of severe hardship. The pattern of YouTubers telling their struggles can be observed in videos that share similar autobiographical attributes to “Draw My Life” videos. “Storytime” YouTubers, who recount a personal story or life event, purposely misrepresent themselves through clickbait titles – these titles overdramatize their story but automatically attract viewers to the video.

YouTube user, Simplynessa15, is infamous for her storytime videos which are uploaded under clickbait titles.  

Another user, Luis Abad, claimed he was kidnapped in the title, though it was revealed in the video that he was never actually kidnapped. 

Coupled with YouTube’s monetization system, it can be contended that YouTubers are constantly striving to obtain more viewers by employing whatever method to meet or exceed the aforementioned “standard of hardship”. I highlight the patterns in these videos and the competitive nature of YouTube to mark the potential inauthentic self-representation in autobiographical YouTube videos.

Works Cited

Black, EB. “The 10 Best Draw My Life Videos on YouTube.” TurboFuture, 5 Sept. 2016, https://turbofuture.com/internet/10-Best-Draw-My-Life-Videos-On-Youtube. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.

Couser, G. Thomas. “Rhetoric and Self-Representation in Disability Memoir.” Signifying Bodies: Disability in Contemporary Life Writing, University of Michigan Press, 2009, E-book. https://muse.jhu.edu/chapter/162047, pp. 33-34

“Draw My Life | Bethany Mota.” YouTube, uploaded by Bethany Mota, 8 May 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RywVBJKKlbg&t=583s.

“Draw My Life – Ryan Higa.” YouTube, uploaded by Ryan Higa, 10 Apr 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPmoDYayoLE&t=191s.

“DRAW MY LIFE – Shane Dawson.” YouTube, uploaded by Shane Dawson TV, 2 Mar 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-F72tFju90&t=200s.

“Draw My Life | Superwoman.” YouTube, uploaded by Lilly Singh, 27 Jun 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfTV3UV_WlY&t=382s.

When examining representations of disability, there are a myriad of articles and videos that criticize the overt misrepresentation which are often manifested in the media (films, television programs, telethons, etc.). By contrast, Susan Robinson’s TED Talk, “How I Fail at Being Disabled”, addresses the subtler factor: our everyday language that leaves a considerable impact on the misrepresentations of disability. Using Robinson’s argument as a foundation, this blog post will analyze our everyday language (which erroneously represents the disability community) in order to identify how it shapes the way we perceive them.

Robinson condemns the usage of the word “disabled”, as it constructs an incorrect perspective of individuals with disabilities – “ability” following the “dis” undermines their capacity and emphasizes the lack. The term disability stresses one’s incapability and reflects society’s perception that individuals with disabilities are always in need of help from a non-disabled person. It therefore illustrates the disability community as heavily dependent, often disregarding their potential. Stella Young’s TED Talk, echoes the misrepresentation of the disability community, in which she states:

“I subscribe to what’s called the ‘social model of disability’, which tells us that we are more disabled by the society we live in, rather than our bodies and diagnoses.”

Young’s quote implies that people with disabilities are often constrained – not by their own mental or physical barriers – but by society’s view of them which categorizes them into a specific group that is deemed inferior and eternally reliant on non-disabled people. This one-sided, limited perspective on individuals with disabilities proceeds to affect other aspects of their lives, such as education and employment (Statistics Canada reported the employment rate of Canadians with disabilities was 49%, compared with 79% for Canadians without a disability). Modifying the terminology/language, however, refines the representation of the disability community.

Laura Gillson addresses the problem (widely faced by a large portion of society) of many people who are unacquainted with appropriate, accurate, and inclusive terminology (Gillson, 2009). With countless resources that are immediately accessible thanks to technology, we are able to answer the pressing question: what exactly are the accepted terminologies? Rick Hansen Foundation critiques our descriptive language, specifically our usage of phrases such as “suffers from,” “inflicted with,” or “challenged”. These terms automatically imply that the individual lives a substandard life because of their disability and associates endless discomfort with it as well. This ties in with the aforementioned misrepresentation of the disabled community, as the non-disabled population wrongly perceives disabilities as an obstacle/barrier and that individuals with disabilities are in constant need of guidance when taking the necessary steps in overcoming their disability (or so-called “challenge”).

Moreover, Syracuse University’s Disability Cultural Centre introduces “people-first language”, which is a way of describing disability that places the word “person” or “individual” prior to “disability” (for example, “the man with cerebral palsy”). This method of referral is empowering, as it emphasizes the individual, as opposed to enabling the disability to be the defining characteristic (which is often the case when we say “disabled man”). Lydia Brown notes that there are, however, certain groups (a number of Autistic people, for instance) who prefer to refer to themselves using disability-first language. By analyzing such articles and posts written by people with disabilities, it becomes apparent that there are a number of unspoken rules which the non-disabled community must follow for the respect of individuals with disabilities; however, the counterargument of many Canadians, who refuse to take the previously mentioned critiques to heart, is that they feel that the culture of political correctness has gone too far.

Being “politically correct” in today’s society is widely debated and many individuals maintain their firm stance by refusing to abide by the guidelines that respect marginalized groups. Although the concept of “freedom of expression” is commonly used to support their argument, it fails to adequately justify their avoidance in using the appropriate terminologies, especially in our era, where we have a multitude of resources that address our privileges (as the majority, non-disabled population). It is the appropriate descriptive language used by the non-disabled community that has the power to shape the overall representation of disability. Correcting these problematic terminologies would therefore result in the reconstruction of society’s flawed perspective of disability.

Works Cited:

Brown, Lydia. “The Significance of Semantics: Person-First Language: Why It Matters.” Autistic Hoya. 04 Aug. 2011. www.autistichoya.com/2011/08/significance-of-semantics-person-first.html. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Cheng, Arnold. “How does language shape how we think about disability?” Rick Hansen Foundation. 18 Mar. 2015. http://www.rickhansen.com/Blog/ArtMID/13094/ArticleID/48/How-does-language-shape-how-we-think-about-disability. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Gillson, Laura. “Language of Disability Awareness.” Disabled World. 28 Jan. 2009. www.disabled-world.com/disability/awareness/language.php. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Maloney, Ryan. “Most Canadians Say Political Correctness Has Gone ‘Too Far’: Angus Reid Institute Poll.” The Huffington Post. 29 Aug. 2016. www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/08/29/canada-political-correctness-poll-angus-reid_n_11761738.html. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Robinson, Susan. “How I fail at being disabled.” TED. August 2017. Lecture.

Sebastien LaRochelle-Cote. “Insights on Canadian Society.” Statistics Canada. 27 Nov. 2011. www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-006-x/2014001/article/14115-eng.htm#a3. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Umstead, Alex. “An Introductory Guide to Disability Language and Empowerment.” Syracuse University Disability Cultural Center. 2012. www.sudcc.syr.edu/LanguageGuide/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Young, Stella. “Inspiration porn and the objectification of disability.” TED. May 2014. Lecture.

With the emergence of mobile technology comes the change in the means of documenting our daily lives – through a lens no larger than a small pea. Ironically, as mobile technology continues to develop, so does the ongoing contempt towards its functions.

The “selfie phenomenon” has caused a great uproar against the youth in particular. To clarify, a selfie is both a photographic object as well as a social practice, in that it aims to deliver a certain message to a group of people via social media (Baym & Senft). The findings of Australian professor, Kate Douglas, indicate that the lighthearted act of taking selfies has rather negative aspects to it, as they are “motivated by vanity, narcissism and fakery or from insecurity and conformity (Gabriel, 2014: 2014)” (Douglas, 2). That said, doesn’t criticizing a mere self-portrait photograph as a result of narcissism or insecurity seem like a far stretch?

In retrospect, I have had multiple occurrences where my level of confidence relied heavily on the impressions I received on my selfies. Perhaps this may justify the underlying linkage between selfies and our mental health, after all.

Retrieving back to the aforementioned definition of a selfie, it delivers a message to the mass audience through their photo; though, what exactly are these selfie-takers attempting to achieve? In relation to life narratives, the context of one’s selfie may reveal one or several aspect(s) of their life. The rise of the selfie phenomenon in today’s competitive society poses the question, as to whether or not these selfies are an accurate documentation of people’s lives. Can we even rely on these selfies to begin with?

A Santa Cruz clinical psychologist, Lucie Hemmen, reported that teenagers feel deeply compelled to create a “desirable persona” which, in turn, causes them to become more susceptible to the negative consequences of the selfie phenomenon (Barakat). The extensive measures that the vulnerable take can be identified through websites that offer Photoshopping tips or amass a long list of apps for the “perfect” selfie. Thus, by going the extra mile, they conclude that their life is appealing enough to their mass audience, who respond through positive reactions (i.e. liking, commenting, and sharing). Unbeknownst to them, their responses are doing nothing but feeding the selfie-takers’ perpetual cycle of insecurity and short-term bursts of self-satisfaction (post-modification, that is).

Although compulsive selfie-takers are scorned for their narcissism and self-vanity, this act may solely be a part of their façade that disguises their severe insecurity. We cannot and should not make presumptions that profile pictures are an accurate representation of that individual, as we are not aware of the steps taken to attain that “perfect” picture. In essence, the “perfect” selfie does not exist, but that irrefutable verity must be reaffirmed to all beings.

The root of this problem does not lie solely within us, but on a much greater scale – the society in which we live in, where self-love is often misunderstood for narcissism and self-deprecating statements are applauded for its hilarity. The value of self-appreciation must be inculcated particularly in the minds of the young and impressionable, who – unfortunately – spend a large portion of their day consuming media. The silver lining, however, is that if the media has the power to cause damage, it also possesses the power to instigate a positive change in the way we view ourselves. Perhaps we should take advantage of mass communication by encouraging the acceptance of our own flaws and differences, which will inherently follow with the universal embracement of diversity – an outcome propelled by the evolution of technology that would (for once) benefits all users.

Works Cited

“12 Selfies That Tell The World You’re A Narcissist.” YourTango,
www.yourtango.com/2015272679/12-selfies-that-basically-tell-the-world-youre-a- narcissist. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Barakat, Christi. “Science Links Selfies to Narcissism, Addiction & Low Self Esteem – Adweek.” Adweek – Breaking News in Advertising, Media and Technology, 16 Apr. 2014, www.adweek.com/digital/selfies-narcissism-addiction-low-self-esteem/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017

Barrett, Gena-mour. “22 Jokes Only People Who Like Self-Deprecating Humour Will Appreciate.” BuzzFeed, 4 Jan. 2017, www.buzzfeed.com/genamourbarrett/funny-jokes-for-people-who-love-self-deprecatin?utm_term=.nu6WXNgRK#.xs1wEneZ9. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017.

“Best IPhone Selfie Apps to Take and Edit Wow Selfies.” IGeeksBlog.com – All About IPhone, IPad, IOS and Apple Watch, www.igeeksblog.com/best-iphone-selfie-apps/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Douglas, Kate. “Youth, trauma and memorialisation: The selfie as witnessing.” Memory Studies, 2017, pp. 1-16.

Firestone, Lisa. “Self-Esteem Versus Narcissism.” Psychology Today, 6 June 2012, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/compassion-matters/201206/self-esteem-versus-narcissism. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Grossman, Samantha. “Teenage British Selfie Addicts Attempts Suicide Over Failed Photos | Time.com.” TIME | Current & Breaking News | National & World Updates, 24 Mar. 2014, time.com/35701/selfie-addict-attempts-suicide/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Miller, Korin. “How to Edit Your Selfies (Without Being Obvious About It).” StyleCaster, 2014, stylecaster.com/beauty/how-to-edit-your-selfies-without-being-obvious-about-it/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Mulroy, Zahra. “What Does Your Profile Picture Reveal About Your Personality? Experts Explain Secrets We Give Away – Mirror Online.” Mirror, 25 May 2016, www.mirror.co.uk/tech/what-your-profile-picture-reveal-8048421. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Senft, Theresa M., and Nancy K. Baym. “What Does the Selfie Say? Investigating a Global Phenomenon.” International Journal of Communication, vol. 9, 2015, pp. 2-3.

Suval, Lauren. “The Phenomenon of the Selfie.” World of Psychology, 4 June 2014, psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/06/04/the-phenomenon-of-the-selfie/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Tsukayama, Hayley. “Teens Spend Nearly Nine Hours Every Day Consuming Media – The Washington Post.” Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2015, www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/11/03/teens-spend-nearly-nine-hours-every-day-consuming-media/?utm_term=.4494f6f4ef91.