Odd Study

According to a new study led by Ohio State University Professor Jesse Fox, men who post a lot of selfies to the web tend to exhibit higher levels of narcissism and psychopaths? Did he say "psychopaths"? Even a cell hater like me doesn't claim that selfie fans are psychos.  I have always suspected cell phone addicts were a little nuts, but psychopaths? Anyway, that study also says most of those men (women don't post selfies as often as men, the study was about men) carefully edit their own selfies.  That's more in tune with the narcissist aspect of selfie addicts. I think the professor may be on to something there. 

The study found that men who edited their photos have higher levels of narcissism and what psychologists term "self objectification".  That means they are self absorbed, but we already know that by observing the actions of a cell phone addict. The only good thing, says professor Fox, is that these men are not necessarily psychopaths because psychopaths are impulsive. Impulsive people wouldn't bother waiting to edit their photos. Ergo, those selfie fans are possibly narcissists, but not crazy loons...maybe.

Common sense tells us that people who are obsessed with snapping their own picture of themselves at every opportunity are self centered but, I think this study is carrying their affliction too far, from the harmless "look at me" into some type of deep psychiatric problem. I wonder if the Professor Fox's' of the world are too obsessed with studies of everyday things that need not be studied.  I also am more amused by selfie addicts than threatened by their behavior. They seem to be having fun with an innocuous behavior. Good for them (but please don't show me your selfie posts).

Is not the real reason most people post selfies the attention from posting and not to admire themselves in photos? We all like attention, and for some the selfie is a kind of 5 minutes of fame. It beats robbing a bank or joining Isis.