What was the last event you attended? What was the last meal you had? Who were you with? You can probably answer these questions with one look at your phone–specifically, by checking your latest selfies. It cannot be denied that selfies have turned from souvenir to bragging rights, and this isn’t going to change anytime soon.

It’s almost like without selfies, something didn’t happen:

Proof of Labor:

Before you even get out of your room, you’ve already worked hard just to get the perfect selfie. You chose your outfit carefully so that it flatters your features, and you went cosmetics online shopping to have a well-stocked arsenal of eyebrow pencils, eye shadow palettes, and lipstick shades. You’ve also devoted some time working on your pout, your skin, and even your signature pose. You know that a bad selfie is simply not acceptable; you want the perfect proof that you had a good time–even if that’s not necessarily the case.

Proof of Success:

Selfies were supposed to be just fun pictures you take with or without your friends, but now, they’ve also evolved to be proof of one’s achievements. It’s not about your face in the picture either. Success is highlighted in everything else–your caption, your location, and even your company. The more exotic the location, the more successful you must be. People also spend precious time taking several selfies just to find the most flattering angle for everyone–because no one in that photo will agree for you to post the one selfie with them mid-yawn.

Proof of Experience:

Music festivals, concerts, and conferences are just some of the popular backdrops for selfies. Here, people have the time of their life listening to their favorite songs, jamming with their friends, and expressing support for their favorite artists. Selfies don’t say these things, but that perfectly posed shot is supposed to summarize your experience in the event. Even beyond summarizing, selfies also act as a way to edit your experience, throwing rose-colored filters on it. You may have had a boring day, but your followers don’t need to know that. It would be better to post a selfie of you in a “relaxed” atmosphere, right?

Proof of Relationship:

If you don’t post dozens of selfies with your best friends or significant other, how will you make everyone believe they’re real? This is a question older generations didn’t have to think about because they focused on spending time with these people instead of taking photographic proof for social media. Nowadays, the assumption is that the sweeter you are with your lover in your selfies, the stronger your relationship. However, no amount of selfies will make real problems go away. You can get your partner to pose with a smile for your feed, but what happens after you’ve taken the selfie? Do you talk and spend quality time together or do you retreat to your separate corners?

It’s all about perfect photos when you live your life on social media. Maybe it’s time to take selfies a little less and live life a little more.