Byall accounts, social media has created an inundation of selfies whereby people express their sense of belonging. Before continuing this article, did you know that according to a study conducted by Maryville University, “In a sense, social media began on May 24, 1844, with a series of electronic dots and dashes tapped out by hand on a telegraph machine?” No one saw that one coming. For most, social media is what we currently see: FB, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, Linkedin, etc.
Never in our wildest dreams did we think that a telegraph could be considered social media.
But, according to the aforementioned study, it does! In fact, the story goes on by saying that a Washington Post article “details the history and relevance of Morse code, complete with early versions of today’s “OMG” and “LOL.” Go ahead, read it!
To read the whole Washington Post article, click here.
Most people agree that the picture below would be considered a selfie.
Selfie of Dr. E.R. Báez
The reason they are referred to as selfies is simple:
- The person takes the picture
- The image is of themselves
- It was taken with a smartphone or webcam
- It is shared via social media. . .
To be clear, here is the Webster’s dictionary definition:
An image that includes oneself (often with another person or as part of a group) and is taken by oneself using a digital camera especially for posting on social networks.
So, the picture above meets all of those perimeters; thus, a selfie.