A lot of people critique the trend (or, rather,
abundance) of selfies. I understand that it seems narcissistic, but I don't
think that's the root of the criticism. After all, plenty of high art is
basically naval gazing, but with a veil of sophistication that makes people
afraid to call it that, lest anyone think they don't "get it."
Selfies are mocked because the self focus is so honest. Egocentrism is
forgivable as long as you make some attempt at irony or try to be subtle. But
essentially, that's like taking a selfie while wearing a mask.
If you think about it, all good art contains
the artist. It may not be entirely a self portrait, but you can see its creator
within it. Taking photos of other people or doing projects that focus on them
is honorable and interesting. All the same, it's not really accurate to claim
that it's separate from its maker, or that the artist is not at least partly
seeking to leave their own mark in addition to publicizing their theme. In the
end, every person who sings or writes or films or plays or draws anything is
joining hands with all the other creators and their subjects in calling out
into the distance, "We are here. Don't forget us."
And it's okay. We can acknowledge that.
