It has been scientifically proven humans are getting dumber.
Credit: George Mathis
Credit: George Mathis
Why? No one knows, but the invention of the "selfie stick" seems to have substantially lowered the collective IQ of industrialized societies.
A BBC article I read today says more humans die from self-inflicted stupidity than shark attacks.
Sharks are going to have to ramp up their game if they want to stay in the headlines -- the large fish have killed eight swimmers this year while 15 technologically advanced mammals have perished while tempting fate for an interesting Facebook post.
Russia, a nation smart enough to attempt putting a man on the moon by 2030 , has had quite a few photography-induced fatalities. Two men died in the Ural Mountains while posing for a photo while they pulled the pin from a live hand grenade.
In Moscow, a university graduate student died while dangling from a bridge. A teenager died when he fell off a roof taking an Instagram pic.
Americans are not immune to tragedy.
In Houston, a teenager died after shooting himself in the head while trying to take a selfie.
Remember, posing with guns is always a bad idea. If nothing else, it tells criminals you have guns they can steal.
A 43-year old Mississippi woman was gored to death in Yellowstone National Park while photographing herself near bison.
A man in Spain was electrocuted (in 2014) after climbing atop a train and touching a 3,500-volt electrical line.
Not all accidents are fatal, thankfully. A California man survived trying the share the small screen with a rattlesnake.
Unfortunately for humanity, the millennial totem known as the selfie stick is not going away.
Fortunately, the Telegraph has provided a handy list of tips for those who think a cool photo is worth risking their life.
Nowhere in the list of tips does it state the obvious -- never take a selfie with a shark.
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