Mae Antonette R.

Bendaño October 14, 2019

Grade 12- STEM

REACTION PAPER

The Selfie in the Age of Digital Recursion

By: Adam Levin

The Selfie in the Age of Digital Recursion is an essay written by Adam Levin featured on
Invisible Culture: An Electronic Journal for Visual Culture (IVC) and was published on March
29, 2014. It revolves around the relationships between the user, selfies and the ecologies they
inhabit. Also incorporates the birth of media and a little history of photography and how it
evolves as what it is now. As well as the various medium used in projecting, capturing,
modifying for a better appearance on public and posting it any social media accounts, strengthen
the idea in the essay that “All media work us over completely.” Selfies give someone the power
on how they want to represent themselves, how they wish to be seen online; on the other hand it
is also a great way in building and preserving memories.

Selfie has become a big hit and a world phenomenon. Not surprisingly, it has been added
to the Oxford English Dictionary on November 18, 2013, as the word of the year. Selfie is defined
as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or
webcam and uploaded to a social media website.” Selfie is a product of the ever-changing
development of technology and creativity of humans’ mind. It is mentioned in the article that each
selfie is a unique window into the interminable dialogue between technological, cultural and
visual traditions and their evolution within the discrete context of individual inflection. It
explains that selfie is interconnected with many aspects in the interacting environment of an
individual showing his or her identity.

It seems that after reading the work of Adam Levin I figured out the positive and negative
impacts of selfie in our society, economy and to everyone’s life. Just like what I learned in our
past Grade-11 subject entitled ICT (Information Communication Technology) that never post
everything online because you are expose in the eyes of dangerous people and be mindfull when
you post something. Too much will never do well in anything. I realize that the development and
innovation of technology with the corresponding advancement of social media pulls and
strengthens the popularity of the selfie trend. Selfies are a way to document things about yourself
dating from the self-portrait in the past centuries that had evolved dynamically. Selfie enables
you to express yourself online with the use of various social media sites and to update other
people on what is happening in your life.

In conclusion, selfie has become a huge part of this digital age wherein different
platforms are made to suit our preference and need. It is a good way of expressing yourself or
creating a bond for we are social creatures but with moderation and principles.
Kim D. Tomales October 14, 2019
Grade 12- STEM

REACTION PAPER

The Selfie in the Age of Digital Recursion

By: Adam Levin

Selfie became popular and heavily used by people nowadays. It can be easily done just in
one click with your cell phones or in camera. We all know that in every trend there are always
negative feedbacks. It can be the way to cause damage to anyone’s image. Taking a selfie is just
for fun but not with someone who has a motive. Someone may use it and played as a victim in
his/her own game just to earn sympathy from his/her online friends.

Posting a selfie can be use against you as it became the weapon to ruin the reputation you
have. Be careful in uploading it in the internet, not all things you do is necessary to post online.
Identity theft are lurking in the internet and just waiting for their prey. The photo they get from
someone will be use to lure their victim and can be benefit from it Social Medias are invented as
a means of communication of two people living in far distance.

As technology became more advance also does the usage of SNS. As stated by Jean-
Baptist Lamarck the one theorized the inheritance of acquired characteristics, environments have
a big role to humans and animals. When it changes humans tend to adapt easily and it is also the
same in modern era. Media platforms are parts of everyone’s daily lives as if they cannot live
without it. Facebook and Twitter are among that popular application that can be posted with
pictures.

We people should be mindful; it doesn’t mean that we should also go with the trend
always. A simple simple photo in the internet can cause ruckus. Think before you click.