What is the big fascination with 'selfies'? It is hardly a new idea yet for some reason it has become very popular since the widespread use of the smart phone. In the past taking a photo of yourself would have been deemed an act of vanity or necessity if there was no one else to take your photo at an interesting sight. Recently it seems that it doesn't matter if someone else can take your photo or not. What's important is the ability to capture yourself and perhaps others in a photo taken by yourself. What is fascinating is that this is considered cool. Why is this the case? How can something so self-absorbing not be frowned upon and ridiculed?
It seems that even animals are getting in on the act. Recently I even heard of a story of a black macaque monkey who took selfies of himself.This cheeky monkey began snapping away after snatching the camera from photographer David Slater. The website Wikimedia has since published some of these photos stating that they belong in the public domain as the monkey took these photos and not the photographer. These photos have since gone viral making this particular monkey more famous than he realises.
If even monkeys are at it, what hope is left to end this vain act of self-photography?
Link to video about the monkey selfie.
