What Do Selfies Say about Young Kuwaitis?

© Media Watch 9 (2) 167-181, 2018
ISSN 0976-0911 e-ISSN 2249-8818
DOI: 10.15655/mw/2018/v9i1/49388
 

What Do Selfies Say about Young Kuwaitis?


YOUSEF ALFAILAKAWI
Kuwait University, Kuwait
 
Abstract
Taking a selfie as a social phenomenon is a way that people try to feel better about themselves. Selfies say us something important about the people who take them, and then share them and offer useful insights into the uses of social media in general. It seems that young Kuwaitis are obsessed with taking selfies. Young Kuwaitis, especially females, do not feel good about themselves and how they look. They are very concerned about their online self-image. These young Kuwaitis, especially females, are in danger because their self-esteem is bound to the ‘comments’ and ‘likes’ they receive when they post selfies. It can be said that young Kuwaitis, especially females, are narcissists. It is apparent that narcissistic individuals would be keener than others to take selfies, edit those pictures, post the most attractive ones on social media, keep track of the ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ for those pictures, and get worried when they do not get the desired feedback.
 
Keywords: Selfie, social media, narcissism, media use, Kuwait
 
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Dr. Yousef AlFailakawi is an assistant professor in the Mass Communication Department at Kuwait University, Kuwait. He is the vice-president of Arab-US Association for Communication Educators. His research interest include: Social media, mass media theories, children and youth use of media, audience behaviors and television production.