Seven Types Of Political Selfies

NEW DELHI: Here in India we share an odd relationship with the phenomenon that is the “selfie.” In this new age tech savvy world, the selfie -- our Prime Minister would have us believe -- is the answer to many of life’s predicaments. Take the recent #SelfieWithDaughter campaign. In a bid to improve women’s welfare, thousands of fathers’ took to the internet to post a selfie with their beloved daughter. So what if only 10 percent of India has internet access? And double so-what if the campaign is fighting patriarchy with patriarchy -- by reducing women to daughters and targeting the campaign to fathers aka men? The selfie traverses all these concerns.

Tragically, our tech trendy Prime Minister isn’t the only political leader to have caught on to the all important role of the selfie. From selfies at funerals to selfies at protests -- our political leaders have done it all. Here is a look at seven types of selfies pioneered by the political elite.

1. The King Selfie

PM Modi needs no introduction when it comes to the world of selfies. From landing into trouble for taking a selfie with the BJP symbol at a polling booth to actually building selfie booths that led the viral phenomena that is #SelfieWithModi -- PM Modi has done it all.

2. The Selfie Blunder

President Obama’s most memorable selfie is a bit of a political blunder. The US President faced a backlash when he posted a selfie of himself, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning at Nelson Mandela's funeral!

3. The Telfie

The German Chancellor is a pro when it comes to selfies. Don’t believe us? You try taking a “triple selfie” or a “telfie.”

4. The Papal Selfie

Pope Francis has become one of the most desired selfie subjects, with people literally squeezing themselves into the tight square frame with the religious leader. A reporter asked Pope Francis about the selfie requests he receives and the Pope replies that they made him feel like a “grandfather.”

Journalist: What do you think of people taking selfies at Mass, which young people and children want to take with you?

Pope Francis: What do I think of it? I feel like a grandfather! It’s another culture. Today as I was taking leave (from Asuncion), a policeman in his 40’s asked me for a selfie! I told him, listen, you’re a teenager! It’s another culture – I respect it.

5. The revolution will be “selfied”

Ukrainian opposition leader Vitali Klitschko, the leader of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, demonstrates a new take on the saying… “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" Well if a revolution is taking place but there is no one to take selfies, did it even happen (or something more poetic than that)?

6. The “WTF” selfie

WTF!??!

7. The Diversity Selfie

Points for diversity, always -- and John Kerry knows it.