Back in February, President Obama recorded a short video of himself using a selfie stick—the elongated recording tool some critics warn is enabling a generation of self-absorbed millennials—with the obvious intention to promote Obamacare with a side of fun. The clip, recorded for Buzzfeed, instantly went viral and was largely well-received with a chuckle.
But according to one Fox News host today, Obama and his selfie stick-wielding video are to blame for encouraging ill advised photos such as the ones of New York City tourists snapping selfies in front of a large building fire.
Up in arms over the East Village selfies, “Outnumbered” host Harris Faulkner explained on Monday:
When the president does it, you’ve got a whole new generation now. I’m not just picking on the older adults and protecting the little kids.
But you’ve got a bar that’s moving now. That gold standard isn’t what it used to be. You’ve got on a weekend, we’re talking Islamic state, we’re talking all sorts of things, and you’ve got a president with a selfie stick that’s as tall as I am taking pictures of himself, ‘Can’t get my hand in the cookie jar!’
The Obama bashing aside, Faulkner and her co-hosts join a chorus of haters who fundamentally misunderstand what it is for millennials to take selfies. While photos such as the ones taken over the weekend probably aren’t the best idea, the outrage over selfies is ultimately misplaced. And considering Faulkner clearly enjoys a bit of selfie-taking herself, this is particularly annoying.
As we’ve argued before, anyone worried a mere selfie is destroying our youth should really just chill and take a moment to consider Rembrandt.
