Selfies become a snapshot of changing times

Children often show their parents how to take them, allowing parents to capture a special spontaneous moment that may have been lost previously even if the outcome is always what was planned.

As if to prove the point, Hillary Clinton grabbed a selfie with her daughter.

The word selfie may have derived from self-portrait but it also hints at selfishness. One joke doing the rounds states that if plants start to take selfies, the first one must be a narcissus.

Parents are concerned. Do selfies reflect a narcissistic personality in their children? They can be taken anywhere with little fanfare and no place seems to be excluded, from the bathroom to the gym.

Privacy, or the lack of it, is another factor.

In October, model Kelly Brook imposed a ban on posting selfies, but ended up breaking it hours later with a “Couldn’t resist!! Lol” message.

The Guardian wrote about “the rise and rise of the selfie” to describe this trend and states it has become one of the cultural markers of our time.

But concerns may be exaggerated.

Basically, the selfie is an expression of disclosure, openness and communication and is available to everyone with Internet access.

Technology has changed methods of self-disclosure. It may have been more intimate for previous generations to share thoughts and reveal their personalities with friends face-to-face.

Depth of intimacy may be sacrificed for width of communication.

Besides, selfies enable users to take a quick picture with professional and flattering results.

It removes blemishes of the face, highlights facial bones and enhances the skin tone in seconds.

Taking a selfie or two is obviously harmless, but when many homepages are filled with selfies, personal stories or insightful comments tend to be reduced.

There is a time and a place for everything and that particularly applies to selfies. They can help lighten the mood and make us more communicative. That is a good thing but, as previous generations would have no doubt reminded us with the wisdom of the ages, too much of a good thing can sometimes be bad for you.

The author is an intern writer with China Daily.