You knew that selfies had officially infiltrated the world the moment you received a text from your mom with her first selfie. Whenever the older generation becomes aware of a new trend, you know it’s not a good sign. However, no one could predict the lengths to which society would take the concept of the selfie.
The creation of the selfie stick was humorous initially, bought as a gag gift or for your narcissistic friend. It wasn’t long before people started using them seriously and in practical settings such as national landmarks, concerts and other picturesque settings.
Now, the greatest product to hit the market since the creation of the Shake Weight is being banned worldwide for a variety of reasons. Here’s a list of the venues that are restricting all of you beautiful people from getting that Instagram-worthy shot.
1. Museums
I actually understand the reasoning behind this one because those darn selfie sticks can be elongated right into the exhibits and can cause permanent damage to them. Most museums already ban photography in general, so the selfie stick ban isn’t much of a stretch. Then again, it makes you wonder how many people were actually trying to cop a picture with a dinosaur before administrators had to put their foot down and enforce the rule. Some of the more notable museums that banned the sticks include The Art Institute of Chicago, The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery in London and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
2. South Korea
This country banned the sale of certain selfie sticks, claiming that Bluetooth emitted signals pose a threat to other equipment using the same radio frequency. Lawbreakers can face a $27,000 fine or up to three years in prison. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but in South Korea it could cost you time behind bars.
3. Disney World attractions
I don’t really see the harm of having a selfie stick on a ride, only the stupidity. People accidentally lose phones from their pockets on rides all the time, so, flinging it into the air for a picture is setting yourself up for disaster. Apparently, offenders get humiliated via PA announcement if they break the rule, which is not quite as steep as South Korea’s fine. Let’s take a moment to envision the agitation of the poor kids who are born in an era where parents are taking even more pictures and have the ability to do so at every waking moment. Imagine the parents donning Mickey Mouse ears flying around on Dumbo trying to force their kids to smile for a picture at the most inopportune time. God Bless.
4. Lollapalooza
This is not at all okay. When I got my selfie stick from Santa this past Christmas, the first place I thought about using it was Lollapalooza. Sure, it would be annoying as all hell to have sticks floating around in the air, obstructing everyone’s view, but the angles for pictures and videos would be stunning and amazing memories to have. However, in all seriousness, I am supportive of this decision, because technology already infiltrates our every move. Music festivals should continue to be an environment where people can gather, soak up each other’s good vibes and focus on enjoying the music as it is happening rather than trying to obtain footage to watch later. Safety is another concern that is somewhat justifiable because it’s very easy to accidentally bop someone in the head with the selfie stick. However, what about the safety and well-being of all those unfortunate dudes who are suckered into putting their girls on their shoulders? Maybe Lollapalooza should focus attention on tackling that problem, or maybe I’m just bitter because I don’t have a boyfriend to lift me into the air for the greatest view of the Weeknd.
5. Soccer Stadiums
The reasoning has nothing to do with disrupting views, but rather the fear that rival fans could potentially use them as weapons. I would say that’s a stretch, but soccer games are so rowdy that nothing would surprise me. At least now we know that jousting will not be making a comeback due to early action in preventing potential scuffles.
6. Rome’s Colosseum
Leave it to a bunch of idiotic American tourists to bring attention to the dangers of selfie sticks in Italy. They were arrested for carving their names into the Colosseum’s wall and then using their selfie stick to snap a photo of it. A little advice: if you plan on defacing a 2,000-year-old monument, it’s wise to not document it using a very obvious large metal pole.
7. Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada border
If you don’t want to be potentially mauled by a bear, don’t take a selfie with it in the background. Enough said. Similar actions have been taken in New York where it is illegal to pose with a lion, tiger or other big cat as well as Spain, specifically for the Festival of San Fermines during the Running of the Bulls.
