I delight in following Amanda Seyfried’s Instagram account, mostly because she heavily features the best celebrity dog ever, Finn. One of my LA-based buddies mentioned seeing Amanda in LA last year, and all I wanted to know was whether Finn was on the scene. He was present. #yasss
Amanda’s doing the rounds to promote her new film, While We’re Young. She stars as one half of a 20-something couple (the other half being Adam Driver) who befriends a 40-something couple played by Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts. The film’s trailer shows plenty of hijinks where the older couple tries to imitate the crazy dance moves of the younguns. Mostly, this movie makes me feel old.
Another thing that makes me feel old – Instagram. Kaiser pointed out (when talking about John Stamos’ bedfellows) how selfies are a generational thing. Now I know why Cameron Diaz’s assessment of social media makes sense to me. Amanda takes the concept into negative territory. She believes that young people who post selfies are “sad.” Amanda elaborated to Us:
On “sad” social media: “[Younger people] spend the entire day on Instagram, and they also take pictures of themselves and post them all the time with a veiled brag. It’s sad.”
Who does social media the right way? “Taylor Swift is pretty hip. She seems pretty honest. I think that’s hip. She’s promoting knowing yourself, and that’s the best idol.”
Amanda’s a homebody: “I’m comfortable in the familiar. I’m not a risk-taker. I’m a nester, so I’m nothing like [her]. Not in that respect.”
Will she ever have kids? “I think it’s an important chapter. there are some people who just know innately what they are, what they’re capable of. Yeah, it seems natural.”
[From Us Weekly]
Amanda goes too far by calling selfie-takers “sad,” but she makes some sense. I find it strange to see people orchestrating restaurant, coffee-house or park selfies. They don’t seem to be enjoying themselves in the act. They’re only focused on achieving the perfect shot, not on the reality of what’s really happening. But Amanda’s words make me side-eye her recent Instagram wedgie because … gurrrl.
P.S. Is Amanda aware of Taylor Swift’s very active ways on Instagram?
Photos courtesy of Amanda Seyfried on Instagram & WENN
pontificating about social media-sad
On Wednesdays, we trash Instagram addicts and praise Taylor Swift in one interview!
You’ve cracked me up, that’s hilarious! 😃
I was going to say, Taylor spends a lot of her time on social media, taking pictures of all “friends” or humble bragging her accomplishments on Twitter. It’s crazy how many people in Hollywood are sucking up to Taylor right now.
It sounds like there’s a lot of air between her ears.
“They don’t seem to be enjoying themselves in the act. They’re only focused on achieving the perfect shot, not on the reality of what’s really happening. ”
This, exactly.
It’s so odd. A few years ago, you could be in a restaurant and just be eating and talking. Now everyone’s got their phones out, trying to take pictures of their food or a selfie or texting or talking on the phone to others. Why don’t people want to be in moment anymore? And why is it so important to show others you’re having a good time instead of actually having a good time?
I don’t know. I don’t know!! I agree that it’s gotten out of hand. And don’t even get me started on the “selfie stick.” I first saw one last summer at the 9/11 memorial. Because nothing screams let’s take a huge crazy photo of ourselves right on the site of one of our country’s biggest atrocities.
I know it is easy to cringe at the me me me-ness of the fb, twitter and IG generation but it will pass. It has a lot to do with a subconscious desire to matter, to proclaim that one exists. If a simple action such as hanging out with friends or eating sushi is seen by everyone then the experience is weighted exponentially. One feels validated and gains instant feedback about whether or not their concerns/interests/perspectives are shared by the masses. This prevents us from being driven from the pack, so to speak.
Now of course, those who are actually fb’ing, tweeting and IG’ing would say they are doing it because their ass looks epic in yoga pants but nevertheless many primordial drives inform this phenomena.
I don’t get why she cares so much. It’s not that serious, honey.
I think this is what she meant.
I just love her (Amanda) and agree about this selfie stuff. It’s so pathetic, for real. But I have to disagree about Taylor. The only glimpse of cool (and possibly honesty) I ever notice on her was on the self-deprecating video of Blank space, although it’s a matter of point of view.
One of my favorite songs has the lyric “I prefer the memory to the photograph.”
Stuff like instagram is fine used in moderation, but if you find yourself taking selfies all day long, and don’t actually live in the moment that you’re trying to record to share, that is kind of sad. And I say that as an amateur travel photographer- take a few shots but then know to put the camera down and enjoy it!
She didn’t really diss social media as a whole — just the concept of taking pictures of yourself all day long. So I thought her comments sounded fine. I don’t really get the concept of Instagram either, which is why I don’t check it — I feel I won’t learn anything, although I suppose I could learn fashion from it. But I don’t want to learn fashion from Kim Kardashian. At least Kim gets paid (I think?) for being on Instagram — I don’t get what the everyday 15 year old gets from it, other than a flunking grade in algebra.
She did seem to offer an opinion of who she thinks does the Instagram thing well — she didn’t sound grumpy like Sean Penn when talking about Twitter.
The teens are hugely into Instagram, it’s become their Facebook, which I think veers away from IG’s original intent.
It depends on what you are into. Personally I use it for interior decorating and fashion inspiration and I do NOT follow any celebs (for fashion or anything else). And I never, ever post or take ‘selfies’ either.
Finn is such a beautiful animal. Their relationship is beautiful. I hope he lives to be 20 for Amanda’s sake.
I’m 22 and I suck at even remembering to take photos. I just got back from a long weekend in Florida and I swear, I have multiple photos of like 3 different moments. Not gonna lie, I’m glad I’m not absorbed in my phone 24/7. I’ve been twitter-addicted in high school, it’s a fine line! I had an amazing time on the trip but have very few photos to show for it. At the end of the day, that’s way fine by me. 🙂
If you’ve ever seen anyone in a public place taking heaps of selfies, there’s only one word that comes to your mind – sad.
I was waiting in a lobby for an appointment last week and they had mirrored doors on the lift, and I watched this girl posing and preening in front of them, taking selfies for like 5 minutes until the doors opened. She looked so ridiculous and yes, very very sad.
I dont think she’s saying that taking selfies and posting it is sad but doing it all day is.
That’s what I took from the comment too. I have actually wondered how pop stars have time to write their songs or actors have time to memorize their lines if they have to update their Instagram on the hour, but maybe they have good time management skills.
Oh FFS. Eyes on your own paper, Amanda. Don’t worry about what the kids are doing, worry about that massive “11” wrinkle that you already have.
*Baymax voice* I fail to see how commenting negatively on her appearance was necessary.
I tried to google what an “11” winkle is and failed. Please sombody translate lila’s comment.
I also agree with Lucy, that commenting on her looks was unnecessary and petty. Amanda isn’t bashing kids that have winkles after all.
I fail to see how Amanda commenting on the “sad” (read: “pathetic”) lives of strangers was necessary.
RE: Linn. Since words and phrases seem to be a struggle for you, I’ve linked a photo of the “11” wrinkle.
So, don’t u have any negative opinion about any society’s behavior? She didn’t say the kids are a bunch of idiots or so, she just said what she thinks.
lol now watch as all the people who do spend most of their time taking pics of themselves get butthurt.
It has already happened. See Exhibit A above.
I don’t feel Taylor Swift .. They are something false about her .. Not for me sorry !!
I’m glad I’m not that only one who feels that way! Everything seems very contrived to me
I think she’s talking about certain people who can’t go a day (or an hour) without taking a selfie, not against the action itself.
Love her and HONK for Finn!
It IS sad. I don’t think selfies are necessarily a bad thing, but when I see someone post them DAILY on social media I do smh. It just seems so desperate, and I don’t feel impressed with them or amused by them like I think they intend – I just feel a mix of irritation and some pity.