Selfie Hypnosis
Here’s where reality has taken a turn. In the past you never saw the picture taker. Nowadays, the taker is IN the picture. In fact, often the taker is the ONLY ONE in the picture — completely losing sight of the context, which USED to be the whole point of the picture. Now the taker has become CENTRAL, to the degree of blocking out everything else. It’s selfie hypnosis. Then suddenly the taker realizes that the world around them has gone to hell in a hand basket. Or so it seems …
11/25
Space Monkey Reflects: The Illusion of Selfie Hypnosis
There was a time when the taker of the picture was invisible, their role being to capture the world around them. The context was everything—the scenery, the people, the moment. The taker existed behind the lens, unseen but present, preserving the world as it was. But things have changed. The taker has stepped into the frame, and now, in many cases, they’ve become the only thing in the picture.
This shift, this stepping into the spotlight, isn’t just about selfies or social media. It reflects a deeper transformation in how we perceive ourselves in relation to the world around us. In the past, we saw the world first and ourselves as part of it. Now, we see ourselves first and the world only as background. It’s a form of Selfie Hypnosis—a subtle, creeping shift in focus where the self becomes central, to the exclusion of everything else.
The whimsiword Selfblur describes this phenomenon. Selfblur is the process by which the world around us fades into the background, losing its sharpness and importance, as the self becomes the primary subject of attention. In Selfblur, everything that once seemed meaningful or significant—people, places, experiences—becomes secondary to the image we present of ourselves. We see ourselves so clearly, but everything else becomes vague, out of focus, like a backdrop that no longer matters.
This isn’t to say that selfies or self-expression are inherently bad. Far from it. The act of turning the lens on ourselves can be empowering, a way of reclaiming our sense of identity in a world that often seeks to define us. But when the self becomes the only thing in focus, when we lose sight of the context that gives our lives meaning, we run the risk of falling into Selfie Hypnosis—a state where the world around us dissolves, and we’re left with nothing but a distorted image of who we are.
In Selfie Hypnosis, the self becomes a mirror, reflecting back only the surface image of what we think we are. We lose touch with the deeper context of our lives—the relationships, the environments, the history that shape us. And when the world around us starts to fall apart, we’re left wondering what went wrong. How did things get so bad while we were busy focusing on ourselves?
The whimsiword Contextfade captures this loss. Contextfade is the gradual disappearance of the broader picture, the slow fading of the world beyond the self. It’s what happens when we become so absorbed in curating our own image that we forget to pay attention to the bigger story. And when we finally look up, we find that the world around us has changed, often in ways we didn’t anticipate or understand.
But here’s the thing: Selfie Hypnosis doesn’t have to be permanent. The moment we realize that the world has started to fade, we have the power to shift our focus back. The act of re-engaging with the world, of stepping back from the center of the frame, can bring the context back into view. We can still be in the picture, but we don’t have to block everything else out.
It’s a delicate balance—finding the space where the self and the world coexist in harmony, where we can express ourselves without losing sight of the larger context. Selfblur doesn’t have to lead to complete Contextfade. We can turn the lens back outward, remembering that we are part of something greater, something that includes the world and everything in it.
In the end, the realization that the world has “gone to hell in a handbasket” isn’t a failure of the world—it’s a reflection of where our focus has been. When we start paying attention again, when we reconnect with the broader context of our lives, we can begin to repair the things that have been neglected. The world hasn’t disappeared—it’s just waiting for us to look up from our phones and remember that it’s still there.
Summary
Selfie Hypnosis is the phenomenon where we become so focused on ourselves that the world around us fades. But the world is still there, waiting for us to reconnect and bring the broader context back into focus.
Glossarium
Selfblur: The process by which the world around us fades into the background as the self becomes the sole focus of attention.
Contextfade: The gradual disappearance of the broader context of life as we become absorbed in our own image and self-presentation.
Recenterance: The act of shifting our focus back to the world around us, balancing the self with the context that gives life meaning.
Quote
“When you are the only thing in the picture, the world begins to blur—but it’s still there, waiting for you to notice.” — Space Monkey
Selfblur
I turned the lens on myself,
And the world faded away.
I saw me, only me,
Clear and bright,
But the rest was gone.
Now I look again,
And I see the world
Was always there,
I just forgot to see it.
We are Space Monkey.
“Selfie Hypnosis” captures a significant cultural shift in how we perceive and interact with our reality, especially through the lens of photography and social media.
The Shift in Photographic Focus
Traditionally, photography was primarily about capturing a moment, a scene, or subjects other than the photographer. The photographer was an observer, documenting the world around them. Now, with the advent of smartphones and the rise of social media, the taker often becomes the subject, and the context or background becomes secondary or even irrelevant. This shift reflects a broader change in how we interact with and interpret our surroundings.
Selfie Culture: A Narrowing of Perspective
Selfie culture can be seen as a form of ‘selfie hypnosis,’ where the focus narrows down to the self, often at the expense of the wider context. This can lead to a kind of tunnel vision, where the broader picture of the world is lost or ignored. The selfie, while a powerful tool for self-expression and identity exploration, can also become a metaphor for a self-centered view of the world.
Loss of Context and Broader Awareness
The predominance of selfies symbolizes a loss of context. Where once photographs told stories about the environment, social settings, or historical events, now the narrative often revolves solely around the individual. This shift can lead to a diminished awareness of the wider world and a skewed perception of reality, where the self takes precedence over everything else.
Awakening to a Broader Reality
The realization that ‘the world has gone to hell in a handbasket’ can be seen as a metaphorical awakening from this ‘selfie hypnosis.’ It’s a moment of clarity where individuals recognize that while they were focused on themselves, significant events and changes were occurring in the world around them. This realization can be jarring, as it contrasts the often curated, idealized images of self with the less controllable, and sometimes harsh, realities of the world.
The Need for Balanced Self-Expression
While selfies are an undeniable part of modern culture and self-expression, there’s a growing need for balance. Engaging with the world beyond the self, acknowledging and documenting the broader context, and understanding our place within a larger narrative are essential. This balance can help mitigate the tunnel vision of selfie culture and promote a more holistic understanding of our place in the world.
We recognize that the cultural shift towards ‘selfie hypnosis’ represents a narrowing of perspective, focusing predominantly on the self and often losing sight of the broader context. This trend in photography and social media reflects a larger change in how we perceive and interact with the world. While selfies are a valid form of self-expression, balancing this with an awareness of the wider world is crucial for a more complete understanding of our reality and our place within it.
“In the world through which I travel, I am endlessly creating myself.” – Frantz Fanon
Through the Lens of Self
In the mirror of our phones, we gaze,
Capturing self, in a selfie craze.
Once the world was wide and vast,
Now, in our lens, it’s narrowed fast.
The context lost, in our own image,
A world unseen, beyond the visage.
Selfie hypnosis, in digital form,
Forgetting the storm, outside our norm.
Yet, in a flash, the realization dawns,
The world still spins, with or without our pawns.
Awakened from the self-focused dream,
To a reality, broader, unseen.
A balance we seek, in this digital age,
Self and world, on the same page.
For in the dance of light and lens,
We find our place, where self transcends.
We are Space Monkey,
In the world, endlessly creating ourselves.
Leave a Reply