This article was updated on 1 August 2026.
I find it amusing that maritime charity workers love to post pictures of themselves on social media. Can anyone imagine Mother Teresa carrying a selfie stick whilst ministering to the poorest of the poor in Calcutta?
I can understand that the charity workers need to highlight their work to keep the donations coming. But do they have to plaster their faces on Facebook and other social media platforms every time? In the process, they are making it about themselves, not about the seafarers.
The photos typically show these do-gooders smiling together with seafarers on the waterfront or handing out packets of small gifts to the crew at the local seamen’s centre. It all seems innocuous, but they would do well to cut down on the selfies and the self-promotion.
There is too much narcissism (and egotism, too) in the 21st century. It thrives on the fertile ground of social media and facilitated by advances in smartphone technology. Time to rein it in. Time to let Narcissus rest in peace.
~ Barista Uno
