Through the Looking Glass: The Queer Narcissism of Selfies

Abstract

A number of scholars have recently argued that the selfie needs to be understood outside of the discourse of narcissism. Rather than leaving this discourse behind, this article focuses on the “hype” of selfies as narcissistic in order to identify and ultimately trouble the political unconscious of this diagnosis, and to ask, what is the problem of narcissism such that it can serve as a means of devaluing, and what kind of politics might we find in the behaviors, proclivities, or attributes identified as narcissistic? The article argues that the problem of narcissism is less an exaggerated focus on the self than it is a failure of responsibility for oneself, and/or an insufficient concern for the well-being of others to whom the narcissist ought to be responsible. Drawing from the antisocial thesis in queer theory, the article argues that this normative investment in responsible subjectivity is motivated, rather ironically, by a desire to annihilate difference. As a “solution” to this desire, the article offers queer theorist Leo Bersani’s notion of “impersonal narcissism,” which it understands in relation to the queerness of the myth from which narcissism takes its name. In short, the article does not aim to evaluate empirically attributions of selfie narcissism—whether to confirm or falsify—but rather to problematize the diagnosis of narcissism as rooted in a normative project that works to produce responsible subjects, and to suggest that this project is compromised by a queer indifference to difference, as critics fear.

She’s so vain? A Q study of selfies and the curation of an online self

“…The selfie poster is produced as somewhat superficial, manipulative and in need of reassurance of their own popularity. This resembles Goldberg's (2017) summary of the constitution of digital narcissism as 'a kind of compensatory self-obsession that requires the approval of others and is thereby pathologically beholden to them'. This narrative, when located within feminine subjectivities, is not unlike the cultural trope, 'the plastics' which was popularised by the film 'Mean Girls'.…”

“…In this sense, narcissism overshadows forms of relationality that are grounded in a conceptualisation of a self which priorities connection with others. As mentioned earlier, valued forms of relationality are predicated on ideas around the need for give the whole 'real', and thus 'unfiltered' or 'unedited' self over to others to establish meaningful intimacy and connectedness (Goldberg, 2017). The 'Presenting .…”

“…The real/unreal binary is relevant to conceptualisations of both online narcissism and relationality. As Goldberg (2017) argues, It is no coincidence that narcissists are thought to be insufficiently concerned both with other people and with the real -those depths that lie hidden beneath the surfaces by which the narcissist has been seduced; the other is the real to which the image-obsessed narcissist has failed to attend. When we are scolded for not attending to the 'real world' or our 'real lives', this invariably means that we are somehow failing our social obligations.…”

“…For example, the results from a 2017 survey suggested selfie posting was a means for respondents to clarify their sense of self, develop relationships with friends and family, express themselves, signal relief from distress, share information with others and store memories as well as entertain others (Williamson et al, 2017). Goldberg (2017) neatly summarises such counter discourses in arguing that 'apologias for the selfie phenomenon are typically grounded in the assertion that selfies are about connecting with others in ways that reproduce, rather than diverge from, valued forms of relationality, though often with the caveat that selfies might sometimes express narcissistic tendencies' (p. 3). Valued forms of relationality are predicated on the idea that the communication of something 'real' about oneself is a necessary component of establishing meaningful connection with others.…”

Media Sosial dan Munculnya Gejala Sosiopat di Kalangan Mahasiswa

“…Akibatnya, sangat mungkin apa yang dilakukan mereka akan diikuti masyarakat pada umumnya. Apalagi, bisa dikatakan masyarakat kita adalah masyarakat yang gemar meniru (Nurudin, 2016;Kaparang, 2013;Sella, 2013;Bungin, 2011 (Senft, 2015;Lee, 2016;Shah, 2015;Griffiths & Balakrishnan, 2018;Wade, 2014 (Goldberg, 2017;Wickel, 2015;Murray, 2015;Carpenter, 2012 (Nurudin, 2009).…”