There’s No Reason For That Selfie Stick
What the hell are you doing?
The technologically driven generation has found yet another way to seem more narcissistic and consumed with their surroundings. No longer are “selfies” while walking enough anymore, nor are pictures of wide-spread landscapes without our face in them. Ladies and gentlemen, behold the selfie stick.
This gadget was debuted by Promaster exactly a year ago, completely blowing their sales expectations out of the water. People all around the world have purchased the selfie stick and taken full advantage of it. It’s purpose is pretty much the same as the front-facing cameras found on many smart phones, but this stick allows for more flexibility because it extends far more than one’s own arm. With the selfie stick, you can take group pictures without having to show a stranger how to operate your phone, and smartphone-savvy teenagers can continue to pursue their instagram modeling career. Even celebrities like Chrissy Teigen can be found using (and loving) this newfound photography tool.
But the real question here is whether or not this invention was a benefit to society or yet another way for us to become more consumed with technology, and regrettably, ourselves?
Benefit
Well, I can definitely see how the selfie stick can be … maybe. For one, families can easily take a family photo to capture a milestone moment (that is, after they set it up amongst the screaming hungry children). It also allows people to take a picture with more than just their shoulder and touch of cleavage in it when trying to capture a breathtaking view behind them, or a simple moment with a loved one. Now girls and boys can make their mysteriously captioned selfie look more legit and model-esque.
Silly Toy
But for the most part, the selfie stick is one that both kids AND adults shouldn’t bother picking up for the sake of their credibility and functionality in life. For one, the stick obviously takes up more space than just a phone. Even if it folds up, you still have to throw yet another piece of equipment into your bag or pocket, only to leave you going back and forth between pulling it out to capture a picture and folding it back up to continue on with your day.
Secondly, it’s pretty much just adding insult to injury when it comes to people and their self-obsessed tendencies that come from smartphones alone. We can’t go outside without seeing some kid taking a snap chat of their walk down the street or someone taking a selfie behind the wheel.
Our society has evolved into something that looks more like a bunch of individuals staring at themselves in handheld mirrors rather than a community of conversation with those surrounding them. Now, with the selfie stick, we’ve only enhanced our habit of becoming consumed with our hand-held devices and the digital world these gadgets give access to.
Safety Hazards
My goodness! I can’t wait to hear about the first selfie-stick collision to happen. Not only are we promoting a behavior that has us staring at a screen in front of us while we stand OR walk, but now we have a rod protruding from our hand.
No wonder The Metropolitan Museum has banned the selfie sticks. Time reported that the museum feared that the maneuvering of the sticks could lead to possible damage of timeless artwork. A perfect reason to ban something that could actually strip tourists of the opportunity to view and appreciate a piece of art in the present moment. As opposed to trying to take a picture to tag yourself in on Facebook to prove to the digital world that you are in fact at the Met. Smart move, Met.
Selfie sticks give the opportunity for people to take better pictures in certain settings, but it’s just another way for people to become more consumed with themselves. Hopefully this new toy will die in popularity before someone knocks someone out while trying to take a glamour shot.
