Bhubaneswar: Selfie is the coolest thing for social media users and it is a must for Instagram. However, the fun of selfies is fraught with dangers.
People in hotels, parks, malls and others places are found clicking selfies. There are others who are called urban explorers or roofers who scale skyscrapers, cranes and bridges to capture a “perfect shot”. But such pastime comes with great dangers.
Orissa POST interacts with a few commuters in the city to elicit what they think right about the selfie craze.
Ipsa Pati, a blogger, said people want to take a selfie that may fetch some likes, shares, and comments on the social media. “However, our weird selfies can embarrass us and tarnish our reputation. Many people do awful things while taking selfies risking their life. Many have lost their lives while taking a selfie at the time of driving. People have died after falling from high altitudes because they were trying to take a unique selfie. Some people just do crazy things to gain quick popularity. There are instances wherein people take a selfie with the dead body of someone they had loved. Well, these people did get framed into history by getting a mention in this post – but at what cost,” asked Ipsha,
Sugat Satpathy, a biker said, “When you are taking a ‘selfie’ you are dating with yourself. It is a thing which makes you a self-obsessed person rather than a social person.”
Aparupa Patnaik, a dancer, said everything has its own pros and cons. “Each innovation is done for the betterment of the people. So it depends on how rationally we use it. And we have seen so many people getting killed while clicking selfies. I believe, people are going crazy about selfie by putting their life at stake”, she adds.
Khusboo Arora, a doctor, opines that people waste time indulging in selfies for uploading on social media. Social media use has led to increased cybercrimes in the society. “I don’t understand why people need a selfie in exam hall, eateries, while driving or in moving trains..it not only harms physically, but also mentally. People need to realise they are not going to be awarded for the most dangerous selfies”.
A few cases of selfie deaths in Odisha have shown that the situation is no better in this state. A 20-year-old student is reported to have died after coming in contact with a high-voltage overhead wire while he was taking a selfie after climbing a stationary goods train at Baljori near Jharsuguda last year. A 25-year-old software engineer had fallen off a mango tree on the bank of River Mahendra Tanaya at Parlakhemundi in Gajapati district while taking a selfie.
In 2016, the Odisha government had identified at least 20 tourist places in different districts as “selfie danger points” and had issued advisories to concerned district collectors and superintendents of police to barricade spots to ensure the safety of tourists. The potential sensitive locations include some waterfalls, hilltops and water bodies.
Film on selfie perils One More selfie, a Sushant Panda directed short movie, produced by Rajesh Kumar Mohanty, wherein he showcases how a selfie can turn a hazard. In the video released Monday he presents the story of a couple on a honeymoon trip. The girl enacted by Swapna Pati is busy taking selfies ignoring the surprise gifts brought by her husband. The selfie craze becomes a life-changing experience for her. “We have gone crazy with mobile phone selfies which have taken away our quality time which we should have spent with the family. Excess use of social media is destroying our life and we must stop it,” said Swapna. “We are virtually imprisoned by false likes and comments in our life. The mirror is less trustworthy than editable reality. No one is closer until one appears online. Every minute online is more precious than virtual realities. Through this movie I want to advocate that we must abandon discovering ourselves through selfies. Use mobiles for your benefit and don’t turn it into a curse,” suggested Sushant Panda.
