Take out your phone and put on your camera. Is it on “selfie” mode? I’m willing to bet that a good amount of readers will answer that question with an affirmative. That’s a problem! My goal in this short piece is to convince you to get your camera, and your life, off “selfie” mode. This is going to be a rough one, and many people won’t enjoy reading it, but we’re living in a day and age that it’s important to hear.
As current and future healthcare practitioners we are called to care for others. Right or wrong, it has become our duty to put the needs of those ailing above our personal wants. We’re in a field servitude and that means being attentive to other people. Over the past few years, I have grown increasingly concerned about the vanity of society and particularly how it is taking a hold on the medical community. I don’t believe this to be a healthy thing.
Recent studies have suggested that social networking sites are associated with psychiatric conditions such as depression. The idea on these platforms has seemed to morph from their original intent of keeping friends and family updated, and into self-glorification measured by likes and shares. I am convinced that this leads to a vicious cycle which culminates in extreme vanity that may hinder an individual’s ability to truly care for others.
As healthcare professionals, let’s not lose that part of us that focuses deeply on the needs of others. Now, in no way shape or form am I saying person can’t love themselves and take selfies to express that. What I am saying is our focus should be on others more than on ourselves. This is a foundational principle of our field and when we become more concerned about our likes than our notes…we’ve got a problem.
If you’re among those who had their camera on “selfie” mode, my challenge to you today is to flip it back around. Keep it that way for a full week and take some lovely pics of your friends without you in them. I’m willing to bet it’ll make you feel really good!
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Great blog. A lot of great points here. The psychological impact of the digital era will surprise us all I believe. The other day in clinic I had a 90-something year old lady who was able to drop phone numbers at the drop of a dime. I can hardly remember my wife’s number. Digital dementia is real.
5 years ago