Selfie sticks have quickly gained popularity all around the world. This practically-an-extension-of-your-arm device, allows everyone to get that perfect non-selfie looking selfie. However, almost as quickly as selfie sticks are being sold, they are also being banned. Festivals, amusement parks, museums and landmarks have banned selfie sticks for safety concerns in the past month.
Many art museums have banned the use of selfie sticks due to the damage the extensions have the potential to do on the art. Amusement parks, such as Disney World, have banned selfie sticks because they can cause safety issues if used on a moving roller coaster or other ride. Some have even argued that the devices could be considered weapons.
Here is a list of just a few places selfie sticks are banned:
- The National Gallery, London
- The Colosseum in Rome
- The Palace of Versailles, Paris
- 19 Smithsonian museums and galleries
- The Museum of Modern Art, New York
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- The Detroit Institute of the Arts
- Brazilian soccer stadiums
- Soccer stadiums for Arsenal and Tottenham in England
- The Seattle Art Museum
- The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
- Wembley Stadium, London
- The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- The Dallas Museum of Art
- The MTS Centre, a sports arena in Winnipeg, Canada
- The National Gallery of Victoria, Australia
- The National Gallery of Australia in Canberra
- The National Portrait Gallery, Australia
- The Canadian Museum for Human Rights
- The Sugarmill nightclub, England
- The 2015 Ultra Music Festival, Miami, Florida
- The Soundwave Music Festival, Australia
- The Kentucky Derby
- Wimbledon
- Disney World
- Lake Winnepesaukah
- Comic-Con
- Six Flags
If selfie sticks are causing so many problems among tourist attractions and businesses, why are we so obsessed with them? The better question is why do we feel the need to take a selfie in the first place? Our society has become obsessed with documenting our every move. Phrases like "Do it for the snap!" and "Pics or it didn't happen," make us feel like we constantly need to be showing the world what we are doing. It's like the phrase "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" If we don't capture every insignificant moment on Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook, it is as if it didn't happen.
When we are constantly taking selfies at a party, we miss the actual fun of the party. When we sit at the dinner table texting instead of having a conversation, we miss out on enjoying the company of our friends and family. When we ride a roller coaster at an amusement park, and we are too busy trying to take a picture of ourselves with our illegal selfie sticks, we miss out on the real fun of the ride.
It's been said many times, but let's say it again — Turn the phone off! Enjoy the moment without worrying about trying to document it. Document it with your memory rather than your phone. And please, put the selfie stick away.
