Liesbeth Woertman, professor in psychology at the University of Utrecht, declares that the proportion of self-idolization in society is weighing heavy upon human contact. Nowadays the ideal of beauty seems to be more important than ever.
A sense of emptiness and insecurity about ourselves, caused by the lack of meaningfulness and stable family-ties, seems to evoke an obsession with our body, which we think to control by means of diet, sports and plastic surgery.
Woertman sees selfie culture as a metaphor for society. The focus on the self is prominent in the virtual world, where the appearance in form of a perfect body seems to be of great influence. The urge to expose one's private life, to sell oneself as a sexual object seems to typify our selfie culture. Instead of photographing others or the environment, selfies are taken because we need to be seen.
As genuine social contact has been replaced by being watched, consequences on the quality of sexual relationships have been noted. When an individual is only focused on his image, he becomes an object that dehumanizes the other.
The quality of meaningful sexual relationships declines when an individual is primarily focused on himself and his own arousal as he doesn't pay attention to the other.
This distorted impression of sexual behavior is also caused by porn, often watched before the first actual sexual experience, and by advertising. Television and internet remain the reasons for a negative body image. This narcissist emphasis on appearance brings about phobic behavior, insecurity and panic attacks.
According to sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, social media are often used for the echo of one's voice, for the sense of control instead of the social skills needed to explore the world.
An individual's self-concept includes a personal and a social identity. The development of social identity can only manifest through relationships with others. It is a life-long task that changes along with the social roles that come with age. In order to avoid inferiority and ego problems, a conscious use of social media is advisable. Let's not forget to live together.
