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> Selfie sticks - like most modern inventions - are utter tosh. Proceeds to hack a Bluetooth button so he can turn on his lights...

by swang 11y ago

manyxcxi 11y ago
Yeah but one is an exercise in thought and engineering while the other is typically an exercise in vapidity and narcicissim. What the OP learns about this BT button could transfer to him building his own that works better, then coming up with an derivative that has market appeal and now they're employing people and engaging the market. It probably won't happen but that person with a selfie stick is NEVER doing anything for society with that selfie stick. It's not about the importance of the task, in my opinion, but the mindfulness of the task that makes something worth while. I too look down on selfie sticks, but primarily because they've become such a pain in the ass- go to a crowded tourist spot (especially an international tourist spot) and it's been made worse by now having to weave through a mass of humanity and trying not to get hit in the face by a long aluminum stick. I also think the self centered nature of them is annoying as well. Seeing them kind of reminds me of something out of Idiocracy.
- StavrosK 11y ago
  How is taking photos of yourself vapid? For most people, that's the only kind of photographs worth taking. They're a documentary of your life.
  - manyxcxi 11y ago
    I say typically as I pictured the teenager taking 30 selfie snaps a day for their Snapchat timeline. Or the bro grabbing a quick gym shot for Instagram. To be fair, I should have said stereotypically. The selfies where you're capturing a moment or something interesting (like a tourist spot) aren't so vapid, but when that tourist destination is filled to the brim with people and a very large percentage have 3-5 foot aluminum poles swinging around it really sucks. There's still a sense of narcicissim to it when you're streaming your vacation to your Facbook/Snapchat/Instagram feeds real time. I get putting a couple shots up at the end of the night or trip, but I swear I could create an itinerary for some people's vacation down to the half hour. Whatever happened to gathering the group around and getting someone to snap the shot for you? I don't take a lot of photos on vacation because I like to really soak it all in- and all I take is my iPhone as my camera. So I'll get some goofy shots, some shots with the wife, and maybe some really interesting or beautiful things I just really want to be able to look at again. I might take only 20 photos in a week long trip.
- swang 11y ago
  FWIW I should probably have reread what I wrote since I guess it comes off as making fun of him for playing around with a bluetooth button. Oh well live and learn. I was making more of a joke about the fact that he bought $40 lifx bulbs that require you to update the firmware for them for the privilege of shutting your lights on and off. I think author of the post would agree that that is also utter tosh, regardless of the use he gets out of it.

> Selfie sticks - like most modern inventions - are utter tosh. Proceeds to hack a Bluetooth button so he can turn on his lights...

by swang 11y ago

> Selfie sticks - like most modern inventions - are utter tosh. Proceeds to hack a Bluetooth button so he can turn on his lights...

manyxcxi 11y ago

Yeah but one is an exercise in thought and engineering while the other is typically an exercise in vapidity and narcicissim. What the OP learns about this BT button could transfer to him building his own that works better, then coming up with an derivative that has market appeal and now they're employing people and engaging the market. It probably won't happen but that person with a selfie stick is NEVER doing anything for society with that selfie stick. It's not about the importance of the task, in my opinion, but the mindfulness of the task that makes something worth while. I too look down on selfie sticks, but primarily because they've become such a pain in the ass- go to a crowded tourist spot (especially an international tourist spot) and it's been made worse by now having to weave through a mass of humanity and trying not to get hit in the face by a long aluminum stick. I also think the self centered nature of them is annoying as well. Seeing them kind of reminds me of something out of Idiocracy.

StavrosK 11y ago
How is taking photos of yourself vapid? For most people, that's the only kind of photographs worth taking. They're a documentary of your life.
- manyxcxi 11y ago
  I say typically as I pictured the teenager taking 30 selfie snaps a day for their Snapchat timeline. Or the bro grabbing a quick gym shot for Instagram. To be fair, I should have said stereotypically. The selfies where you're capturing a moment or something interesting (like a tourist spot) aren't so vapid, but when that tourist destination is filled to the brim with people and a very large percentage have 3-5 foot aluminum poles swinging around it really sucks. There's still a sense of narcicissim to it when you're streaming your vacation to your Facbook/Snapchat/Instagram feeds real time. I get putting a couple shots up at the end of the night or trip, but I swear I could create an itinerary for some people's vacation down to the half hour. Whatever happened to gathering the group around and getting someone to snap the shot for you? I don't take a lot of photos on vacation because I like to really soak it all in- and all I take is my iPhone as my camera. So I'll get some goofy shots, some shots with the wife, and maybe some really interesting or beautiful things I just really want to be able to look at again. I might take only 20 photos in a week long trip.
swang 11y ago
FWIW I should probably have reread what I wrote since I guess it comes off as making fun of him for playing around with a bluetooth button. Oh well live and learn. I was making more of a joke about the fact that he bought $40 lifx bulbs that require you to update the firmware for them for the privilege of shutting your lights on and off. I think author of the post would agree that that is also utter tosh, regardless of the use he gets out of it.