So, here it is...
"The idea of not deleting bad pictures of oneself is a new-age approach to a 'love your body' movement. These days pictures play a large role in people's lives; advertisements, memory keepers,and even just decoration. People who are losing weight use their picture or someone else's picture as motivation of what they can be. This idea can be used for self-esteem too. Girls taking a picture of themselves (un-photoshopped) and writing a note to themselves can be hung up as motivation to learn to love themselves. A picture (even an unflattering one) speaks a thousand words, sometimes its just a couple words that mean the most. This can be an all-digital movement, as opposed to other "love your body" movements which are physical. this digital movement could allow a girl in Ohio and a girl in California to bond over their insecurities and lift eachother up. Don't Delete Yourself can address many areas. Not deleting an unappealing picture of yourself on your camer, Facebook, etc. is a way someone can overcome their insecurities. Many people with severe insecurities write themselves off as unworthy of happiness and beauty. Don't Delete Yourself is a modern way of saying "don't write yourself off". Girls with insecurities can band together and fight body image issues. Something that is also great about a digital movement is that it can reach men as well as women, and people of all ages (not just the ones I think are important). "
So, This is an unflattering picture of me (with my neighbor Maddy). I think she was telling me about something and I was making faces at her. Gross.
The more I look at it the more I can see that its kinda funny and not so unflattering.
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Jess, I think this is great!
ReplyDeleteI really felt like it made instant sense as soon as I read, "Don't Delete Yourself is a modern way of saying "don't write yourself off"
I think it also holds lots and lots of potential options, don't delete yourself can refer to so much, from not ignoring your talents to using your body more (like dancing!) and I like that is has a physical (I guess a digital photo is physical right?) proponent. There is a tangible connection to the idea, like you said, the more you view the pictures of yourself, the less akward/unflattering/whatever they seem. But if you delete them immediately, you don't even give yourself a chance. The physicality of that picture staying around is powerful.
When I think of it in terms of my project, there are so many ways that our self conscious is shaped by telling ourselves, "I 'am' this or that negative label" Saying we "are" in this way implies that we cannot change, and if we repeat it to ourselves enough, we won't. By keeping all of the pictures, it's possible you could see ALL of the "yous" that you usually miss/ignore :)
P.S.
Sorry for the book length response.
Jess,
ReplyDeleteBefore you brought this idea to light I didn't realize just how often I try to delete images of myself. It's so true that it is like writing oneself off. I'll try to keep this in mind each time I want to delete an image. This is also why I don't have an image on my facebook acct. I never think there is one good enough to use.