Vanity Plate
"Take care," he said, "take care how you cut yourself. It is more dangerous that you think in this country." Then seizing the shaving glass, he went on, "And this is the wretched thing that has done the mischief. It is a foul bauble of man's vanity. Away with it!" And opening the window with one wrench of his terrible hand, he flung out the glass, which was shattered into a thousand pieces on the stones of the courtyard far below. Then he withdrew without a word. It is very annoying, for I do not see how I am to shave, unless in my watch-case or the bottom of the shaving pot, which is fortunately of metal."
This is one of my favorite conversations, from one of my favorite books, Dracula by Bram Stoker. When Jonathan Harker accidentally nicks his face while shaving, Dracula enters the room and immediately throws out his travel mirror. (In the novel, Stoker used the theory that mirrors can ward off vampires, and they also do not have reflections in them.)
Although, Dracula has a point in that piece of dialogue. He proclaims that we do things in the name of vanity even if it means pain or discomfort. Harker is annoyed as well any man of society (then and today) would be. According to Stoker, if vampires cannot display a reflection, then they must not have a soul. However, just because we have a reflection (and hopefully a soul), it doesn't mean that we still seek validation from ourselves and others.
While vanity isn't a new concept, it's become more prevalent with social media. It's easier than ever to be "on display" like a catalogue or a model. As a society, we're obsessed with looks and abilities and receiving praise from them. While fads come and go for what's considered attractive, that fact remains constant. Being "liked" for a photo does not carry the weight of your intelligence, creativity, strong will, hard work, patience, etc, but it's certainly and ego boost. We gaze at photos of ourselves and consider how good our skin and hair looks, our pose or our body shape- and with intention of others seeing it, too.
Or, despite what you really look like, it's still important ensure the quality- taking what I call "deceiving" photos (angles, lights, props and mirrors to hide true attributes), using apps and software to physically change the photos (aka "Photoshop"), using older photos or insisting on taking multiple shots to get the "right" one. Even if this is considered acceptable, it's still problematic- the acceptance of who we are and what we actually look like, flaws and all.
What we communicate via social media is a reflection of what we want to portray, and whether that is a true reflection of ourselves is to be determined. There's a huge difference between self-confidence and vanity. When you're self-confident, it doesn't matter what you share, if you share, since you're not consistently checking yourself out. When you're vain, it's a slippery slope to obsession. Narcissism, in general, has been attributed greatly to the use of social media among users of all ages, and it puts pressure on us to appear as our best selves (to a greater extent of becoming egocentric- your looks are "unique" and you're "special").
Although, Dracula has a point in that piece of dialogue. He proclaims that we do things in the name of vanity even if it means pain or discomfort. Harker is annoyed as well any man of society (then and today) would be. According to Stoker, if vampires cannot display a reflection, then they must not have a soul. However, just because we have a reflection (and hopefully a soul), it doesn't mean that we still seek validation from ourselves and others.
While vanity isn't a new concept, it's become more prevalent with social media. It's easier than ever to be "on display" like a catalogue or a model. As a society, we're obsessed with looks and abilities and receiving praise from them. While fads come and go for what's considered attractive, that fact remains constant. Being "liked" for a photo does not carry the weight of your intelligence, creativity, strong will, hard work, patience, etc, but it's certainly and ego boost. We gaze at photos of ourselves and consider how good our skin and hair looks, our pose or our body shape- and with intention of others seeing it, too.
Or, despite what you really look like, it's still important ensure the quality- taking what I call "deceiving" photos (angles, lights, props and mirrors to hide true attributes), using apps and software to physically change the photos (aka "Photoshop"), using older photos or insisting on taking multiple shots to get the "right" one. Even if this is considered acceptable, it's still problematic- the acceptance of who we are and what we actually look like, flaws and all.
What we communicate via social media is a reflection of what we want to portray, and whether that is a true reflection of ourselves is to be determined. There's a huge difference between self-confidence and vanity. When you're self-confident, it doesn't matter what you share, if you share, since you're not consistently checking yourself out. When you're vain, it's a slippery slope to obsession. Narcissism, in general, has been attributed greatly to the use of social media among users of all ages, and it puts pressure on us to appear as our best selves (to a greater extent of becoming egocentric- your looks are "unique" and you're "special").
It's important to consider the way in which we craft our social selves, and how it affects the relationship with ourselves and relationships with others. I don't believe anyone wants to end up like Narcissus- forever stuck on the gaze of ourselves, unable to move forward.
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