Smile, Monkey and Lisa | Opinion

Nemesio was in a political party with rations, chocolates and Fernet years ago: at one point he moved and did not appear in the photo.

Since that fateful day, his time has failed; He never looks good in social photos, he steps on loose tiles in the rain, sneezes through his nose with his mouth full, and a lady from Arkansas who had eaten garlic cuttlefish kissed him on the ‘kiss cam’ at Madison Square Garden; all because he didn’t pay attention to what his wife was telling him. Looking at your phone that much during an NBA game is what it is. It wouldn’t have happened to her friend Lisa: she always has a smile, a Joker smile, she never misses a photo. In fact, he attracts them or, failing that, chases them: he does whatever it takes to stay in the limelight. What an obsession, immortalizing yourself in public.

It is true that there are those who know how to take advantage of it, but normally it is about an overflowing, even complex ego. I’m not talking about a shoulder-to-shoulder photo with colleagues, a tender memory of the best romantic vacation or that modest ‘selfie’ stepping on dry leaves in autumn. Nor am I criticizing the ‘picture fool’ holding the Leaning Tower of Pisa in perspective with his hand; pozas, pizza, Pisa raisins and Panettone, the irresistible ‘popipipaspan’ routine that all visitors to this transalpine city have fallen into at some point. I’m talking about those who see a camera and jump forward, they put their face on other people’s parties, get into moving cars and can’t tolerate arriving at a place without someone taking charge of recording and distributing it, the sooner the better. Anonymity is a modern luxury: Before it was easier to go unnoticed. If the choice is the opposite (seek focus, like crazy), then courage and for the bull. Of course, today the networks do not forgive the gallery any concessions. No nails, no stains, no lustful glances: teeth, grimace and the Joker, no matter what.

(You can consult all the articles written by Pablo Ferrer in HERALDO here)