Selfie

I know this term “Selfie” creates a lot of buzz in everybody’s mind these days. Gone are the days when people wanted to photograph beaches, birds or brides. Today they want their own face in whatever picture they click. Lot of incidences in the recent time related to these clicks are floating all around the media. Prime minister of India wants everyone to post him selfies of people along with their daughter. This also created a controversy on social media when a lesser known Bollywood actress and a TV anchor did not liked this move of PM and wanted him to focus on better things, rather than selfies. The entire social media started spitting venom against this actress. Another episode related to a mega star of Indian cinema, who was annoyed when everyone wanted to click a selfie with him, when he visited the funeral of some friend. Sometime back even the International media was flooded with pictures of American President with another female political leader, a selfie which lead the prez into trouble at his home front. 

My view about selfies is not really related to this trend of taking selfies. I am a little concerned about shifting of human focus on self in a different way. All personality development trainers and spirtitual mentors talk about understanding one self. It is true that, unless we understand ourselves well, we can’t understand the world. But there is another term in English called “narcissism” . This is about obsession with self. Today narcissism attitude is overshadowing the required concept of understanding oneself. When I try to understand myself, I actually try to analyse myself not in its physical form, but the way I think, the way I respond to others, the way I plan to change my thinking, the way I want to grow myself or the way I want to contribute to the growth of others and the environment around me. This is inclusive growth. Yes, I do need to click a Selfie. A selfie that can picture my soul, that can help develop my spirit to serve. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg