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An image of oneself taken by oneself using a digital camera.
Let’s examine the most important word here: oneself.
IT’S ONLY A SELFIE IF YOU TOOK IT YOURSELF!
IT’S ONLY A SELFIE IF SOMEONE IN THE PICTURE TOOK THE PICTURE*!
*Although technically a group selfie is an ‘usie’. But that’s a preposterous word. Therefore we will allow the definition of ‘selfie’ to include duo or group photos, but only if the person taking the picture is in the picture
Friday 8 November, 2024
Friday 8 November, 2024
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Explainer: When is a selfie not a selfie?
PEOPLE, THE WORD ‘selfie’ is now in the dictionary, so you have no excuse.
The official definition is:
Let’s examine the most important word here: oneself.
IT’S ONLY A SELFIE IF YOU TOOK IT YOURSELF!
IT’S ONLY A SELFIE IF SOMEONE IN THE PICTURE TOOK THE PICTURE*!
*Although technically a group selfie is an ‘usie’. But that’s a preposterous word. Therefore we will allow the definition of ‘selfie’ to include duo or group photos, but only if the person taking the picture is in the picture
This is a selfie
This is not a selfie
This is a selfie
This is not a selfie
This is a photo of a person (Miguel Angel Jimenez) taking a selfie
This is a photo of a group of people (members of the Ireland Women’s Rugby Squad) taking a group selfie
And this is a photo of someone taking a selfie with Enda Kenny
And here is that selfie
Got it?
We’re not the only ones perplexed by this apparent wilful refusal to acknowledge a true selfie:
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There is a Twitter account called Not a Selfie which appears to have been started with the aim of policing selfie ignorance across the internet.
Disappointingly, it has only lashed out twice.
We need more people out there, fighting the good fight, spreading the world about what does or doesn’t constitute a selfie.
Are you with us?
Liza Minnelli trying to get into the Oscars selfie is heartbreaking>
Two lads were caught sneaking a selfie at the Miss Bikini Ireland photo shoot in Dublin
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