Twitter has declared 2014 the year of the selfie. The word, which means self-portrait, has been used more than 94 million times on Twitter throughout the year. And women are more likely to take selfies than men.

All the social media statistics for 2014 are full of selfies. One of the pictures of this type was taken by the US comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres at the Oscars, and has been retweeted more than 3.5 million times so far and has become the most shared tweet ever.

If only Bradley’s arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) 3. März 2014

Selfie means business

The selfie trend has a lot to do with business. Almost all the smartphones launched in 2014 have special functions to take selfies. They are equipped with selfie-friendly front cameras and apps. Advertisers are using different methods to promote these products as well. For example, a selfie taken in Bangladesh and marked by many people as the ‘‘world’s largest selfie’’ is actually a part of an advertisement campaign to promote Microsoft’s latest smartphones.

Celebrities like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian are also very much focused on selfies nowadays. They publish selfies almost every day. This phenomenon helps them to promote cosmetics and the women’s accessories they represent. Kardashian, in fact, is about to publish a book named Selfish, which will feature her most popular selfies.

My #YearEndSale is happening right now at http://t.co/b99NdleUFw! Deals from 30-50% off – shop now before we’re out! pic.twitter.com/H3Lbit5jXa

— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) 22. Dezember 2014

Been using @infinitelash and I’m in love! #teamhealthylashes #infinitelash pic.twitter.com/cdTRpGqvIK

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) 16. Dezember 2014

I still have some more facts to show you. The selfie trend has increased plastic surgery in the US as well. A recent report by Reuters says plastic surgeons in the US have seen a surge in demand for procedures ranging from eyelid lifts to rhinoplasty, popularly known as a nose job, from patients seeking to improve their image in selfies and on social media. Some surveys also discovered that women are more interested in taking selfies than men.

Was bound to happen: A picture-perfect nose job: how the selfie is boosting demand for plastic surgery http://t.co/rcVrYKnoMQ

— Nick Ali (@iamtherealnick) 27. Dezember 2014

– @RT_com: Nip, tuck & selfie: #socialmedia addiction spurs boom in plastic surgery http://t.co/LtbhAp0v3n pic.twitter.com/z0Wg5rR2NJ”

— Nadiya Manir (@optimizebc) 2. Dezember 2014

Selfie stick, a must have gadget

The selfie trend has also increased the sales of the ‘selfie stick’ which helps the user take better selfies and panoramas. Reports suggest it was one of the ‘must have’ gadgets for many people during the Christmas season, especially in the UK.

Selfie sticks can help you take a nice photo (pic 1) but make you look like a massive prick (pic 2) pic.twitter.com/2M6alsDrVh

— Carlos Spiceywiener (@DavieLegend) 28. Dezember 2014

Queseto “@mashable: Well, looks like we’re all toast in the future: http://t.co/W3RJEzj4A1 pic.twitter.com/cP03xa4PSw”

— Milton Peguero (@milpegu) 24. Juli 2014

However, use of the selfie stick while taking pictures is not really a new thing. Many people have named pianist Arnold Hogg as the ‘father of selfie sticks.’ He reportedly took a picture of him and his wife Helen using a selfie stick in England back in 1926. Hoggs’ grandson Alan Cleaver shared the picture on Twitter last May.

The world’s first Selfie? My grandad and fiancee in 1924 use Box Brownie, tripod and a long stick to take a ‘selfie’! pic.twitter.com/IuFdOt8Td9

— Alan Cleaver (@MisterBus) 7. Mai 2014

Still wondering why selfies have received that much attention? One of the main reasons is that it has given people a new way of expressing themselves. We human beings wish to be known, understood and remembered. I think the selfie has opened a door for us to fulfil this hidden desire.

Author: Arafatul Islam
Editor: Marjory Linardy