Stop Mocking Teens Over Funeral Selfies

One of the buzzier Tumblr entries of late is called "Selfies at Funerals," which compiles teen photos posted to Twitter or elsewhere that were taken at, yes, funerals. The ridicule has been fast and furious—oh, today's incredibly narcissistic and shallow teens—and totally out of line, argues PJ Vogt at OntheMedia. At least consider the possibility that this isn't about narcissism and is instead a classic case of an older generation not getting a younger one.

"I suspect that for a lot of young people, a selfie is more like a public diary entry than it is a chance to show your friends how hot you look," writes Vogt. For those doing the mocking, "is this the kind of adult you wanted to be?" he asks. "A person who has no curiosity about why young people might do things in a new or different way from you." Besides, think of how grown-ups act at a funeral. Maybe, Vogt suggests, it's time for a Tumblr called "Adults In Suits Eating Hors d'oeuvres Near A Corpse." Click for the full column. (More Tumblr stories.)