Companies spent most of their
professional life developing and improving new products. Canon for instance has
been in the electronic industry since 1937, supplying the world with the best
photography instruments. As well as its main competitor, Nikon has been
developing consumer electronics for over 90 years. As you can tell, both firms have
put in a lot of effort in developing the finest products in the market, and
their high quality control has managed to keep them in business for such a long
period. In the early 2007, a new phenomenon emerged that bombarded the market
with this revolutionary product that would change consumer’s life. The first
iPhone modernized individual’s daily routine; now everyone could virtually connect
with anyone around the world thorough this portable computer. Not only did Apple
Inc. established a new trend making their product one of the hottest in the
market, but it also created this new trend that we now know as “selfie”.
Apple Inc. is now the second most
sold camera in the world according to Flickr. The statistics shows that Canon
still in the lead with over 200 models available, followed by Apple with only
15 models, Nikon follows with an inventory of about 180 models. And it seems
like this urge of taking pictures is exponentially increasing in the last
couple of years. The idea of snapping a quick “selfie” has become such a trend
that in August 2013 the OxforDictionaries.com added it to its list of words.
The image above wraps up my
previous comment of how this new trend is exponentially gaining popularity
amongst individuals. There is this “competition” of who snaps the best selfie.
I have seen selfies ranging from conferrable settings such as a bed, to gory selfies
depicting a criminal act. In the image above you see a man running for his
life, trying to escape the horns of a 1,200 pound bull, but even in such an
intense situation in which his life is at risk, he manages to pull out his
phone, and snap a quick selfie so he can later remember his adventure and share
it with family and friends. I believe that this trend of selfie has emerged due
to the fast growing social media. Individuals not only like experiencing new
and exciting things, but enjoy sharing them with others. As mentioned above, I believe
there is this constant competition of coming up with a great selfie shot. The
internet has allowed us to connect with any user around the world, and the idea
of having our selfie circulate the web excites most of us. Therefore some individuals are prone to snap a
selfie even if that act put his or her life in jeopardy, because for them the
idea of having a great and exiting shot that highlights their moment, is more
valuable than the results that may occur in that given situation. I believe this trend of selfie is popular
amongst the young generation who were born into this technological environment.
But even my parents snap selfies once in a while, so if you ask me, this trend
is popular among all ages and genders, because as stayed previously,
individuals have the urge to share their experiences and moments with others,
and what better way than snapping a quick picture of yourself at a given
location?
I agree that the "selfie" phenomenon is something that has become so popular because of social media. Through social media, people are able to share their life and get input from others through likes and comments. It is interesting to think about the selfie and the article from class about the mumblecore film "LOL." The selfie embodies the idea of the intimacy that is provided in close up of LOL. Technology has redefined privacy and intimacy. What is it about our society that makes us feel okay to expose this close up to the world? I know that although my parents may snap a selfie every one in a while, they would never post one on social media. They have more of an older way of looking at privacy and what to share on social media sites. Others may not think twice about if they should post a selfie on a social media site. Has social media and the selfie taken away from our understanding of privacy? Although this could be considered a generalization, I think that it is safe to say that most people on Facebook don’t know most of their facebook friends personally. Sharing personal stories or details, such as posting a selfie or sharing your location, is perfectly normal on facebook, even considering the fact that you do not personally know some of the friends you are sharing the information with. Personally, I do not know all of my facebook friends personally and I learn most about them through their postings on social media. The selfie, social media, and the technology pioneered by Apple, has completely changed the lines of privacy between people.
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