Why people take selfies: when technology compels us

Technology (physical and digital) makes it possible, so we do it. But also, we do because both the technology and our culture expect us to.

The selfie is not a new form of expression. Artists have created self-portraits for ages, from cave to classical paintings, to early photography and modern art. What's new about today's selfie is its commonplace nature and its ubiquity. Technological advancement liberated the self-portrait from the art world and gave it to the masses.