THE RISE OF NARCISSISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA…

THE RISE OF NARCISSISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA…

Come on girls... we can do better than just looking pretty!

I’m not sure what’s going on at the minute, but there seems to be a massive rise in women posting mindless dolled-up selfies of themselves on social media in a business setting.

Now don’t get me wrong here, I have absolutely no qualms about women looking beautiful and feeling confident in the way they look. 

A good headshot will capture that brilliantly, and there's nothing more confidence-boosting than seeing yourself beautifully immortalised in a photo.

I love it when women feel good about themselves and they dress and present themselves in a way that they personally like, both in their personal social lives and in business.

However, what bothers me are the mindless ‘pretty girl’ selfies uploaded to social media in a business setting, for seemingly no other reason than to show people how pretty they are.

Gawwwwd, those duck-faced pouting shots drive me quackers!

What is going on?

When did our looks become the main focus of our achievements?

This especially concerns me when these shots are used in a business setting, as if all your success is based on your face. We're worth more than that, surely girls?!

Now don’t misunderstand me - this is not about being jealous of how good-looking other girls are. I love seeing ladies looking glamorously stunning in a social party setting.

I fully acknowledge when girls are beautiful, because I will likely have told them (especially if they have lovely blue eyes, for which I have a particular penchant!!) 

I also know full well that: I’m no model, you know what I mean? And I don’t do my little turn on the catwalk…

...And I’m ok with that. 😊

 

Anyone else wear out their cassette tape of this classic belter in 1991?!?

When I was younger, amazingly, I did look better. I wouldn’t be so vain and misled as to believe that I was absolutely gorgeous, because I know I was just average - but being younger, slimmer and fresher-faced definitely made me look better. 

It’s a shame that nobody stays that like that forever!
But I definitely wasn’t happier - in fact I was self-conscious, shy, and lacking in confidence. I knew that the boys might only like me because of how I looked.

No consideration for how funny or kind or caring I was. 

Sadly, it wasn’t relevant in our shallow, vain, beauty-obsessed society.

Aged 18, when I used to be an actual feminine-looking female.

For this jazzy, highly-edited photoshoot anyway!

I just cannot understand in this supposedly enlightened age, why some girls are more concerned with showing us close-ups of their prettily made-up faces, and full length body shots, usually in tight revealing clothes - rather than work successes.

I first thought about this issue a few months ago; when I saw a woman post online; a lady I had previously thought of as a respectable, smart and independent member of her industry.

Yet here she was in a large public business networking forum, posting reflection mirror selfies, as she showed herself in a shop changing room trying on flashy and skimpy dresses - then asking the business group for their opinions.

Really?!

Is that really all we’ve got to offer?

How lovely we look?

(and she did, but that’s not the point!)

In the words of Pink’s song ‘Stupid Girls’ “What happened to the dream of a girl President? She’s dancing in the video next to 50 Cent.”

What about shouting about our achievements in our work and careers?

Doing something inspirational? 

Motivating others?

Achieving some real success?!?

If you’re only concerned about the way you look, then frankly, I think you’re putting the women’s lib movement back about 100 years - when women were just there to be seen and not heard, just a pretty thing to look at.

What about showing us some success stories?

You doing well instead of just looking well?

Some real actual achievements instead of superficial photos?

Because to be blunt, when I see your extreme close-ups of your heavily made-up pretty face, It doesn’t make me think ‘oh she’s beautiful.’
I’ll already know that if I’ve met you.

(And don’t forget that having a beautiful face doesn’t always equate to actually being a nice or attractive person!)

Instead it makes me think why?

Why is she putting that on here?
Is she fishing for likes?
Narcissistic?
Insecure?
Desperate for attention?
Or all the above?!


If you’ve ever met me in real life, you’ll know that I’m not a girly girl. 

I have no fingernails because I bite them, have no concern for beauty treatments, facials, jazzy snazzy haircuts, and I definitely do not get up an hour earlier to trowel on make-up or draw on Noel Gallagher eyebrows with a Sharpie.

I’m chunky but funky, and I wear what I like, even if it’s a shirt I find in the men’s section.

And I do not give a fuck what other people think of the way I look.

It’s not relevant.

I don’t need to seek anyone else’s reassurance. I'm not insecure.

So you’ll never see a picture of me in a business setting with my chesticles hanging out, because you don’t need to.

Ah well, maybe just this one time... 

"Maybe if I act like...that? Push up my bra like...that?! 

I don't wanna be a stupid girl!"

I’m not interested in someone leaving a meeting having met me saying "Oh didn’t she look nice?!?"    #yawn

I want them to remember that I’m kind and funny, and most of all, very competent at what I do. They should have realised that that I’m a good person - that’s my priority; not preening and pouting.

Now listen: if doing all those pouty things makes you feel good about yourself in your life, then that’s great, good for you - I’m happy that you’re happy, especially if it makes you feel better about yoursen.

But if it’s just pure egotistical self-absorbed social media narcissism – then please ask yourself: what’s the real need here?!?

* FEMALE SUCCESS STORIES WANTED * 

   - not just beauty shots, please ladies!!!