The GoPro Pole is keeping selfies safe for adventurers around the world. Source: washingtonpost.com
A recent article hyped the erroneous statistic that selfie’s are more dangerous than sharks. While the story went viral, the conclusion and method of the study drew criticism from more established news outlets. The Washington Post pointed out that the comparison between accidents involving selfies and shark attacks was like comparing apples and oranges. The reasoning is that a selfie may contribute to an accident, but it does not cause the injury, something else actually causes the injurious event. While in the case of a shark attack, the shark is most likely the cause of the injury.
While the original article has provided fun debates and shocking viral accounts of tragic selfie accidents, the arguments have missed the larger point. The teachable moment here is that in our fast paced wired lifestyle we need to take time to be mindful of our surroundings and our place in the world. Selfies allow people to share experiences in the moment and to frame themselves within the environment. When done right, a selfie could actually make you more mindful of your physical setting and mental state. If you take a minute to evaluate your surroundings and the story you are trying to tell then the selfie transforms the event into something worth sharing. These three steps can help you create a more mindful selfie.
Think about others before taking that selfie. Source: psychalive.org
Follow These 3 Steps to a GoPro Pole Mindful Selfie
Step 1. Evaluate Your Environment. Take a good look at where you are; you can even do it through the view finder of your device. Consider that your environment has three dimensions and that there are other creatures inhabiting the same environment. Really think about what you are seeing.
Step 2. With your GoPro Pole attached, frame yourself in the picture. As you put yourself in the view finder of the selfie, think about how you are interacting with the environment and ask yourself some thoughtful questions. Are you framing yourself with another creature in the environment? Might that creature want to eat you? Might that creature be afraid of you in such a way that it would act out in a way that could injure you? Could gravity be working against or with you in a detrimental way? Now, mindfully adjust your framing based on your new found awareness.
Step 3. What message are you trying to send with your selfie? This step combines the awareness gained in steps 1 – 2 and asks you to consider the audience of your selfie and the message they might take from the image. This is an important step in mindful selfie taking because it asks you to consider the point of view of others and evaluate your true intentions. Is the message of your selfie that you are brave enough to stand in front of a wild bear, cougar, shark (add carnivorous animal of choice). Is the message that you want to share your well-developed ability to climb, jump, and/or fall with your closest most envious followers? Or is the message, “hey, look at this beautiful place I am at, I am thinking of you because you are special to me, and I wanted to share this amazing moment with you.” Now that is a message, and selfie, worth sending.
