Death by Selfie

Narcissus at the Spring
(Painting by Jan Roos)

There's an Ancient Greek myth about Narcissus, who was so in love with his own watery reflection that he lost his life while admiring it.

Before grabbing a camera and heading for precarious cliffs, it might be wise to recall this tragic tale.  It’s one thing to carefully navigate a hiking trail, but quite another to clown around on edgy ground.  The selfie you take while pirouetting atop a ledge might very well be your last.

The Journal of Medical Internet Research recently published the results of a study about selfie-related deaths.  These are increasing to the point where they’re being called “a public health problem.” According to Sam Cornell of the University of Sydney, the average age of such deaths “was 22 and most casualties were female tourists.”

Even when the body survives, the psyche can be crushed by habitual self-absorption.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2023-11-27-taking-selfies-is-now-considered-a-public-health-problem/ mid=1190335&rid=98364581&sc=email&pname=newsletter&cid=NATIONAL&keyid=National%20iHeart%20Daily%20NewsTalk&campid=headline4_readmore

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(mythology)