33: Will Storr | Avoiding Self-Obsession in the Age of the Selfie

Cultural Views

Cultural perceptions of selfies reveal intriguing differences between East and West. Will Storr notes that East Asian selfies often include groups, reflecting a collective mindset, whereas Western selfies focus on the individual, highlighting a more individualistic culture 1. This distinction is rooted in deep-seated cultural values that influence how people perceive and interact with their environment. Storr explains how these cultural differences extend beyond selfies, affecting even basic visual perception, as demonstrated by experiments with fish tanks 2.

You say to the Westerner, “What did you see?” And the Westerner guy saw a fish. And you say to the East Asian person, “What'd you say this?” Say, “A fish tank.”

--- Will Storr

These insights underscore the profound impact of culture on our worldview and social interactions.

   

Social Pressure

The pressure to meet social standards has intensified with the rise of social media. Jordan Harbinger and Will Storr discuss how technology has expanded our social comparisons from local peers to global celebrities, creating an unattainable standard for many 3. This relentless comparison fuels perfectionism and moral outrage, as people strive to align with the idealized images they see online 4. Storr highlights the alarming rise in male eating disorders, attributing it to the shifting standards of status and physical appearance 5.

There's a huge pressure, I think the people must have the perfect opinions, the perfect views. They must perfectly mirror the beliefs, the values of their tribe.

--- Will Storr

These pressures underscore the complex interplay between social media, self-perception, and mental health.