Posing a hazard

When the ‘The Chainsmokers’ wrote ‘#Selfie’, they hit the bullseye with lyrics that showed the lead character’s tendency to keep taking selfies despite everything happening around her.

That still seems to be the trend among youngsters today but things have entered the ‘not-funny-anymore’ zone with a number of fatalities being associated with this craze. Recently, three students were run over by a train while trying to take a selfie on the track near the Wonder La railway gate.

With such incidences on the rise, a few youngsters throw light on this careless attitude of
people who choose life-threatening pictures over life.

Varun Raju, an MBA student, says, “Selfies have become a trend among everyone, regardless of age. And it is evidently driving them crazy. People need to be more sensible about what they are doing. I feel there is an attention-seeking attitude that revolves around these photographs. People will go to any lengths to increase the number of likes and comments they get on social media.” 

He says that he is not against taking selfies as such, but the careless attitude that comes with it.

“Deaths due to selfies have become a hot topic of discussion and it is necessary that ample awareness should be created among people about the hazards of this craze. One way to do this is by playing a public service announcement in movie theatres just before a film is screened, similar to the one highlighting the negative effects of smoking and consuming alcohol,” says Varun.

Nitya Shree, a homemaker, agrees with this. She feels that since taking dangerous selfies is a more common phenomenon among youngsters, campaigns should be started in schools and colleges.

“Almost every day, we hear about a selfie-related fatality. Going to great lengths to take a dangerous selfie gives a thrill and one becomes instantly popular among their group of friends. But what they don’t understand is that they are putting their precious lives are at stake. Encouraging others to try such stunts is not cool at all.”

Since we are a celebrity-obsessed country, another way to counter this issue is by getting these popular faces to step forward and talk about it, says Nitya.

“Signboards can also be placed at every traffic signal as a reminder. Constant nudges will surely create an impact in one’s mind.”

Prajwal L V, an entrepreneur and a personality trainer, believes that social networking sites and easier availability of smartphones are a major cause for people trying such stunts.

“When one sees a person posting a picture taken in dangerous places, it creates an adrenaline rush in them and they tend to compare themselves with that person. This creates in them a desire to do something that is unique and will make them stand out in the crowd, even if that means breaking rules.”

He adds, “With people becoming obsessed with selfies, there is a clear lack of attention to situations. Selfies are now becoming more selfish.”

He too points out that taking a selfie is not bad, but one has to do it the right way. “We can’t stop anyone from doing something, but we can at least create awareness about the dangers of it. A grave picturisation will make an impact for sure.”