Why self-pics are popular?

[Centauri4]

(or -- a step towards naturism?)

A few reasons I can think of for people taking pictures of themselves:

Vanity, or excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements. This may be justified when someone has exercised intensely, eaten a healthy diet, or recovered from an injury and they are pleased to look a certain way.

Sensuality, enjoying a sense of pleasure from being totally uncovered; free. Able to experience all the senses the body is capable of delivering, whether due to heat, cold, touch or motion.

Sexuality and getting stimulated at the idea of sharing an image of yourself fully exposed including all the bits and pieces ordinarily hidden from public view but by which we all achieve a sense of pleasure. Being touched, being cared for, knowing the feeling of closeness shared with fellow beings when we are able to touch (knowing of our shared sensitivities; realizing we all experience joy from physical contact -- and knowing the power of touch as well as the responsibility of it).

Pure visual appeal, not related to the vanity described above. If anyone considers themselves to have a artistic eye, an appreciation for subtle curves, contours, textures, lines and shapes, or an appreciation for the marvelous workings of the human body, then perhaps the act of capturing an image of one's self is a "tribute" to these things.

Finally, a secret desire to be more than a clothed image, more than a designer's label, more than a stereotypical (whatever) -- man, woman, person, teen, punk, emo or any other label applied by society. The definition of stereotype in social context is, "a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group" and since each of us is one of a kind, the only way to express this is by unadorned nudity. The true revealing of one's self as only the "I" can exist!

Whether you believe in creationism, evolution or something else, YOU are the end product of generations of natural selection and more directly of the direct union of two other souls who were also, in their turn, the product of love, caring and tenderness. As the old saying goes, each person at one time was no more than a "twinkle in your father's eye", and if not for that exact and specific moment of love shared together by two people, you would be completely different.

Will we ever be capable of "engineering" a person to the exact specifications desired? A person who is taller, stronger, green eyes, blue hair, or of super-intelligence? The perfect athlete or the ideal, most honorable politician to govern us all? Or should we continue reveling in our uniqueness, having pride in the individual features and look created in a specific moment of love-driven biochemical engineering?

Is being a naturist also an expression of these things? A little of all these things tied together and expressed without anger, as a group, on a beach, at the lake or anywhere in the great outdoors? Perhaps even in a closed space indoors but still together as a group in the hope of achieving social unity, perhaps enlightened consciousness?

If you know someone with shared/unshared naked pictures of themselves, have you ever discussed the reasons for taking them?

(to promote discussion...)

[triaduw]

I do think to an extent that, yes people take nude pics of themselves for a feeling of many of your reasons. I have posted nude pics of myself not because I am good looking or it gave me a cheap thrill, but because to an extent I thought...these other people have so should I. I don't think having a overtly sexy or arousing(or aroused) pic of yourself should be posted on some of the nudist sites like they do, but I am not the final judge on such things.

I am sure we all have reasons for doing what we do. Plus in this day and age with all the electronic devices we possess and the social media available we almost have to take pictures of ourselves whether clothed or not.. Just my thoughts.

[Kouak]

IMHO, it is the combination of ease of picture taking and its shock value. Plus with its near instantaneous posting, it can be done without almost thinking.

[ibrahim]

The reason for taking self-pictures is loneliness. There is no one else around who would take their pictures.

[scrptman]

What I find the hardest to understand is the quantity of pictures taken and posted (to the gallery here for example). I am most amused by the ones that follow a pattern like this: here is a pic of me by a tree; here is another pic of me by the same tree, here is a pic of me by yet another tree, but it's on my left this time; here I am by a rock; here I am up close by a rock; here I am far away by a rock, here I am with my foot on the rock; here I am wearing a hat by a rock - but a different rock - and with a tree behind me; here I am up close again, but with the ocean behind me....you get the idea.

[nimrod]

What I find the hardest to understand is the quantity of pictures taken and posted (to the gallery here for example). I am most amused by the ones that follow a pattern like this: here is a pic of me by a tree; here is another pic of me by the same tree, here is a pic of me by yet another tree, but it's on my left this time; here I am by a rock; here I am up close by a rock; here I am far away by a rock, here I am with my foot on the rock; here I am wearing a hat by a rock - but a different rock - and with a tree behind me; here I am up close again, but with the ocean behind me....you get the idea.

So then you are complaining that nudists take pictures of themselves outside?

[nudeyooper]

So then you are complaining that nudists take pictures of themselves outside?

I would say that unless you know the person personally, these pictures and others posted on social networks, whether nude, partially clothed, or fully clothed are boring. So, boring may they be, nobody is forcing anybody else to look at them. In fact, I get pictures from family on another website, and don't really bother to look at them because they are boring.

[scrptman]

So then you are complaining that nudists take pictures of themselves outside?

Certainly not. Did you not read what I wrote at all?

I was just commenting on the "quantity" of pictures uploaded and shared, which basically consist of the exact same composition over and over and over. Take as many pics of yourself that you want, I really don't care. But when you upload them for others to see, at least choose those that have some different backgrounds to look at so we don't have to scroll through 15 photos of you standing next to a rock.

[nimrod]

Certainly not. Did you not read what I wrote at all?

Yes I did, I should have used a smiley to let you know I was kind of joking. It is just that if you are out in nature, what else is there around you?

I agree that the composition can be redundant, it is usually the spontaneous or "candid" pics that are better.

[LumpyPostage]

Ask 100 people why they took that picture of themselves and you'll get 100 different answers. I don't know anybody who has never taken their own picture.

I think the picture I have here is on a rock. Maybe I should change it to another one on a different rock.

Whether you believe in creationism, evolution or something else, YOU are the end product of generations of natural selection and more directly of the direct union of two other souls who were also, in their turn, the product of love, caring and tenderness. As the old saying goes, each person at one time was no more than a "twinkle in your father's eye", and if not for that exact and specific moment of love shared together by two people, you would be completely different.

This assumes a great deal.