Soul Dysmorphia

Snapchat dysmorphia is a neurosis describing people who want to look their best by digitally altering their appearance. It’s a disconnect between the real and the virtual and sometimes spills over into our spiritual lives.  

On a typical morning, most of us rise from our beds and shuffle into the bathroom. 

It’s our first stop of the day. 

Invariably, we’ll spend at least a few minutes glaring at ourselves in the mirror. It’s not usually a pretty sight, given what bed does to our hair and what minimal clothing can do to highlight our various body bulges and skin imperfections. Add to that some puffy eyes, a nick from shaving and a little toothpaste dribbling out the side of the mouth — well, it’s enough to make you look and feel like you just escaped from some kind of home for the deranged.  

Things can quickly improve, however, when you shower, comb through that hair, slap on deodorant and put on appropriate clothing and maybe some makeup. That is, of course, until you grab your phone and open a social media app like Facebook or Snapchat or check the news for the latest celebrity gossip. There you notice all the smiling, perfectly...