Due to the public holiday, I won’t post next week. So this is my chance to wish you happy Selfie Day! Sunday 21 June is National Selfie Day. It celebrates the belief that the world needs another photo of your food, your outfit, or your hairstyle.
A camera-induced condition
I don’t have a selfie stick, and I rarely take selfies. My few selfies are attempts to get a photo of a cat posed on top of me. This usually ends up as a blur when the cat moves at the exact moment I tap the button.
I’m old enough to know the camera is not my friend. But for many people, every day is selfie day.
Selfitis is the term used to describe an obsessive need to take selfies, and post them on social media. If you’ve ever watched someone take 17 photos of their cappuccino at a coffee shop, you know selfitis is real. Some researchers have even developed a “selfitis behaviour scale”.
One day this may be classified as a mental disorder. For now, it is one of the most widely reported forms of tech‑related stupidity.
Look Ma, no hands!
Every child wants mom or dad to watch the newest accomplishment. Like riding a bicycle without holding the handlebars. This is the famous cry of “Look Ma, no hands!” Pride, unfortunately, tends to lead to a fall. There is a good reason why bicycles have handlebars.
In 2021 two South Korean fighter jets collided in mid-air during a training exercise. There were no injuries, but a spectacular amount of very expensive embarrassment.
The results of the crash investigation were made public in April 2026. The plane crashed because the fighter pilot inverted his aircraft to get a better selfie! Imagine spending millions on fighter jets and pilot training, only for the pilot to go full TikTok.
I was gob-smacked when I read about it. But people really can be this stupid.
Death by selfie
Those pilots were lucky. In 2014 a pilot lost control of his plane while taking a selfie. He crashed and killed both himself and another passenger.
Between 2008 and 2021, an estimated 379 people died in selfie-related accidents. In 2015, selfies outperformed shark attacks as a cause of death. Imagine a version of “Jaws” with cell phones instead of sharks.
None of these scenarios require much imagination. People fall from high places while trying to take the perfect shot. Or they slip and drown while posing near waterfalls, or standing on boats.
And it’s unwise to handle loaded firearms for the sake of a selfie. Or live grenades, like two now-deceased Russian soldiers. Only the phone survived that explosion.
Taking a selfie close to wild animals is also not a good idea, unless you want to be gored, trampled, or eaten. And trying to get a photo on top, or in front, of a moving train may result in a different kind of ultimate selfie.
Wikipedia maintains a list of death-by-selfie incidents. It’s oddly fascinating, in a gruesome way.
Survive your selfie
I’ve been in places where cell phones are banned. This is usually to respect religious shrines, avoid disturbing others, or protect delicate art pieces. But now authorities in some tourist areas have established no-selfie zones. This is to protect the selfie-takers from themselves.
The Darwin Awards honour people who improve the human gene pool by removing themselves from it. Technology does not reduce the risk of death by stupidity. Instead, it expands the range of ways to qualify for the award.
This National Selfie Day I wish you perfect lighting and flattering angles. But please make sure your fabulous selfie doesn’t outlive you.
Share your shocking selfie slip-ups.