A quick question to ask ourselves: Are we as a society becoming more and more self-centred? The
truth is, we really are. During childhood and even at later stages, we as humans tend to compare
ourselves to others, making us feel bad or unwanted. These years are the most crucial in building
self-esteem and identity for youngsters, which has recently been polluted with the addition of these
Photo filtering and vanity applications.
As a society, we have made it the new normal to try and change our appearance or our image to fit the “perfect” stereotype, and social media apps like Instagram or Snapchat have not made it any better. These apps are full of judgements and theories about what we as humans should look like and act like, driving us to become more self-conscious and in turn, more self-centred.
Recent polls taken Australia-wide show that 72% of our generation believe that we have all become more self-centred, especially with the rise in selfies and photo touch up apps. Even basic necessities such as Zoom are catering to this category, by adding a ‘Touch up my appearance’ button and Stage Filters for lipstick, eyebrows, facial hair, etc, further proving that this society is much more involved in the appearance and the concept of me, me, me.
Not only will all of this effect in future, but it will also take a toll on our mental health, and is
currently doing so. The rise in these apps is incredibly commonly linked to anxiety and depression.
At first, while using these apps, they seem like they could do no harm. Adding a little colour here,
thinning my legs a little there, eventually, this cycle becomes endless and is associated with “obsessive-compulsive tendencies regarding body image” according to Dr Peace Amandi, a well-known
psychology professor. Amandi says that not only is this new technology affecting us, but also these
cosmetic surgeries available. Over the previous couple of years, lip filler and cosmetic transplant
surgeries have more than doubled, clearly showcasing the gigantic increase in self-consciousness
and selfishness.
With the rise in ‘Individualism’, our society has seen a rapid decrease in empathy and we are now
caring about ourselves and our own success instead of those who are less fortunate or do not have
the means to do so. This could become a large issue in the future, especially when dealing with
massive increases in poverty and climate change. If fewer people are concerned or care about these
issues and do not try and change them, eventually society will fall apart, putting us all in great
danger. This is why with urgency, we must fix ourselves and those around us.
In these times, everyone is rewarded for everything, without corrections, building everyone’s ego
much higher than it should be. Take, for example, sporting carnivals. Participation awards are handed
to all, no matter what the person achieved, or in fact, did not achieve. This whole idea of ‘Everyone’s
a winner is seriously flawed, leaving those receiving these trophies and awards to find that it had
become the new normal. You show up, don’t even do your best, and yet still at the end, without
criticism end up with participation awards or praise for just coming. Is this right? Or is this further
inflating the whole idea of narcissism and teaching our kids to put themselves on a pedestal?
Another interesting discovery is that almost 25% of posts or images tagged as “no filter” are actually
in fact altered, in such a way that the person looks better, without it being too obvious. Doesn’t this
make us obsessed with what others think of us and what we don’t want to be seen as? Shouldn’t we
be doing things for ourselves and not for the satisfaction and pleasure of others?
This is something to ponder on: Why do we chase the approval of others and how is it making us
self-obsessed?