"We’re conditioned to believe that external validation is a necessary substitute for self-confidence...."

“We’re conditioned to believe that external validation is a necessary substitute for self-confidence. Furthermore, having any positivity toward yourself is deeply stigmatized, policed by accusations of narcissism and superficiality. The real anxiety with girls and selfies is that selfies might provide girls with the means to create their own positive image of themselves, thereby severely diluting the impact of outside opinion. If your confidence comes from within, you can’t be controlled as easily. While there are people who claim that the selfie is little more than a desperate cry for attention, the alternative of girls using selfies as an expression of independence is far more threatening.”

- Selfies and Misogyny: The Importance of Selfies as Self-Love — Everyday Feminism (via becauseiamawoman)