Deadly selfies: the dangerous trend of posing at heights
A young man fell to his death while taking a selfie on a rocky mountain. The trend for extreme photos keeps claiming victims despite repeated warnings.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Deadly selfies: the paradox of risking your life for a picture
The more the dangers are publicized, the more people seem willing to take them. The latest example is a young man who fell while taking a selfie on a rocky mountain. Witnesses described the moment as "heartbreaking", but the irony of the comments on social media was not long in coming.
Why do we keep doing it?
The explanation lies in dopamine: the social reward of a risky selfie is immediate, while the danger seems far away. Experts call it "optimism bias". The result: a statistic that keeps growing.
The human cost of virality
It is not just the individual who pays. Rescue services, families and local communities bear the consequences. Even so, digital platforms keep rewarding extreme content. Until that algorithm changes, the risk will persist.
How many more accidents will it take for the balance to tip toward caution?
The more the dangers are publicized, the more people seem willing to take them. The latest example is a young man who fell while taking a selfie on a rocky mountain. Witnesses described the moment as "heartbreaking", but the irony of the comments on social media was not long in coming.
Why do we keep doing it?
The explanation lies in dopamine: the social reward of a risky selfie is immediate, while the danger seems far away. Experts call it "optimism bias". The result: a statistic that keeps growing.
The human cost of virality
It is not just the individual who pays. Rescue services, families and local communities bear the consequences. Even so, digital platforms keep rewarding extreme content. Until that algorithm changes, the risk will persist.
How many more accidents will it take for the balance to tip toward caution?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (14 replies).
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