Rexer: Self Portrait to Selfie

 “Especially on the Internet, self-staging blurs the distinction between confession and
manipulation, and between naiveté and artistry” (73). 

I was intrigued by Rexer’s discussion of identity in this chapter. The camera is an amazing tool
through which lies and truth can be expertly controlled. The performance aspect of portrait or
self portrait photography can easily deceive, and it can be almost impossible to tell the difference. 

I really enjoyed the words “confession and manipulation” in the above quote- my average
daily trip on Instagram is full of selfies and videos, many of which are performances.
Some of them are obvious, such as a tiktok or vine, and others not so much. A simple
selfie can have so many reasons behind it for its creation-maybe the taker was feelin’ it,
or they have to post to maintain Confessing identity can be to one’s self or to others, as
well as manipulation.  

It is both fascinating and unnerving to think about all the truths we could have perceived incorrectly,
or how many secret confessions we have missed.