The selfie and the intolerable gaze of the Other

Abstract

This essay investigates the phenomenon of the selfie. The author is interested in what this phenomenon is able to say about the human subject and its constitution. Jacques Lacan's theory of the subject is used as a fulcrum to investigate, in particular, his reflections on the gaze and the role it plays in the process of constituting human subjectivity. The author takes one specific “mirror selfie” and consistently examines various aspects of the gaze in relation to it: the gaze as it constitutes the identity of the subject; the ideological dimension of the gaze and “ideological visual interpellation”; the gaze as the object‐cause of desire; the unbearable inevitability of the gaze; and the monstrous Real dimension of the gaze. The author concludes that new technology, in particular, the new possibilities for self‐representation they provide, do not distort the nature of man, but on the contrary only more clearly reveal it.

Moving with the Screen on Zoom: Reconnecting with Bodily and Environmental Awareness

“…In that sense, as Uzlaner argued about the selfie, the screen does not so much transform human nature as it reveals more fully how it works. 46 While his argument focuses specifically on the gaze of the other and our desire to control it, here I am more concerned with how we cannot escape seeing through a lens despite our desire to see reality objectively.…”

Visual representations

“…Whether through their Instagram accounts or other photo and video sharing platforms, today's consumers format visual representations of their identity. This is about more than simply forging an identity; it is about constructing a visual representation of one's identity based on a range of locations, colours, objects, logos, practices and postures (Caldeira, 2016;Kavakci and Kraeplin, 2017;Mosley et al, 2017;Uzlaner, 2017). This Instagramisation of the self has been reinforced by the ever-increasing range of photo and video tools (smartphones, GoPro cameras, drones, etc.…”

Représentations visuelles

“…A travers leurs comptes Instagram ou autre réseau de partage de photos et vidéos, les consommateurs formatent des représentations visuelles de leur identité. Il ne s'agit pas simplement de se construire une identité mais de se construire une représentation visuelle de son identité à partir d'un ensemble de lieux, de couleurs, d'objets, de logos, de pratiques et de postures (Caldeira, 2016 ;Kavakci et Kraeplin, 2017 ;Mosley et al, 2017 ;Uzlaner, 2017). Cette instagramisation de soi s'est renforcée par la multiplication des outils photos et vidéos (smartphone, caméra go-pro, drones…), dispositifs matériels et digitaux associés (filtres qui permettent de modifier les couleurs ou d'insérer des dessins sur les photos, perche à selfie, …) et la diffusion et l'appropriation de postures de mises en scène de soi dans l'espace (porter un monument dans ses mains, manière de sourire et de se tenir, …).…”