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I recently read this article about fatal accidents while taking selfies. A study documented 400 over a 13 year period, including 77 in the US. Most involved drownings or falls from high places. This quote from the study author stood out:
“The mean age of reported victims was 22 years old — and they were mostly female tourists. "I was surprised that when I drilled down in this way, young females were implicated the most," Cornell noted.”
This researcher must have been the only person world wide surprised that young women were the most frequent victims. A few were mentioned in this account from the Daily Mail, and one said that “Sofia Cheung, an Instagram star, is shown above in her last Instagram post. She died in 2021 after losing her footing and slipping at a waterfall” and went on to note that she had 35,000 followers on Instagram. The picture is an earlier selfie of Ms Cheung.
This got me to thinking of the broader issue of social media “influencers”. I find this very difficult to understand. Who do they influence? Apparently young women. I’ve had social media accounts for some time; mostly to keep up with friends and family. I can’t think of anyone I follow who would fit in this category, but maybe I’m not paying attention.
There is such a weird desperate quality to all of it. Sofia Cheung died for attention. It makes me sad but I’m a little concerned about the fact that I don’t get it at all. I think you can draw a fairly direct connection between the need for social media and the raging anti-Semitic rallies which appear to be more protest theater than actual protest for Gen Z. We may be more lost than I already feared.
Discussion (40)
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More evidence that social media is toxic to young females. Now I hear that they are converting to Islam on Tik Tok.
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Darwin Awards exist for a reason. We thought it was for young men.
Back in the 70’s they ( actually pot smoking hippies) in response to influx of methamphetemines came up with the direct slogan “Speed Kills”, later adopted by everyone . It’s a horrible drug. I know.
But the drug of public admiration - or just recognition on any level - 30,000 followers isn’t especially impressive in the ocean of millions of followers, but these people are swimming in their own ponds. It’s quite normal to an allow your followers to sculpt your persona attach your ego and identity to that direction your fans like. It’s symbiotic.
What’s ironic is she was effectively interacting in the dangerous physical world for her followers who are living through others from a safety of their boring (real) lives. She’s a circus performer whose luck ran out.
Our brains are manufacturing chemicals and neurons are firing continuously. Our internal’drugs’ dopamine, adrenaline etc are activated virtually via the media.
People who watch thrillers, action films and horror are variously addicted to adrenaline
Narcissism Kills
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I understand how someone could fall when taking a selfie, but how do you manage to drown?
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Here is the story. “Cheung was with her friends at the park on Saturday, July 10 when she decided to take a picture next to the falls. She lost her footing, say witnesses, and fell approximately five metres (16 feet) into the falls’ pool below.”
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