On Reflection: Who Are You Looking At?

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” Not since Narcissus drowned in his own reflection has a fable - or rather its most famous question – expressed the dangerous contradiction inherent in how we see ourselves. While a healthy mirror image is an integral part of our wellbeing, those who glance too adoringly often find themselves in the modern-day equivalent of their mythical namesake’s final destination. In such a status-seeking, competitive time as the one we live in now, 21st century narcissists can be found up and down the country seated firmly on a therapists couch.

Having created the kind of mental and emotional suffering he predicted a century ago, it seems regrettably ironic that whilst we still have a legitimate concern with how we are seen, our reflections continue to...