SELF LOVE IS NOT RADICAL IN A CULTURE OF NARCISSISM

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Just as bell hooks describes in her book All About Love, "Worship of individualism has in part led us to the unhealthy culture of narcissism that is so all pervasive in our society." Individualism has become one of the biggest problems in our society today. Social media is often to blame for this as it has given people a platform to 'self advertise' and post their every thought and action. It fuels narcissism and perpetuates harmful beauty standards. If you don't live up to these you will feel like a failure, and it is no one else's fault but your own. Social media is dangerous but such a useful tool at the same time. It is a goldmine of research for social issues. 

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I created my Instagram to catalogue images called memes which I believe reflect society and people's inner thoughts most effectively. People use these images to bond with each other as they are usually humorous and light hearted. The memes that I collect are usually self deprecating, nihilistic and actually a cry for help. I think this shows the collective decent into insanity that many young people feel at the moment, feeling like they don't have a voice or any control over the society that they know is harming them. Social media is something that gravely harms people's mental health, yet they are using it to also connect with others and in this case they are connecting over their declining mental health and social issues.

One of the reasons I make art is to make people feel less alone with their intrusive and obsessive thoughts. I use social media, in particular Instagram, to help keep my finger on the pulse of the collective consciousness of young people, especially women, today. 

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