Let me just start by saying, I hate selfies. Call me judgmental or a cynic or whatever you want, but I think there are few things more narcissistic than posting a picture of just your face on social media. (DISCLAIMER: Snapchat doesn’t count. We’re all guilty of it.)
While perusing CNN this morning, more fuel was added to my selfie-loathing fire. A 43-year–old woman from Mississippi was recently visiting Yellowstone National Park with her daughter when the urge came over her. The pair saw a bison and apparently could not resist. Turning their backs, they hoisted the camera/phone/selfie stick and probably made a duck face.
What happened next is pretty predictable to any person with common sense. According to the National Park Service, the bison approached the mother from her right side, lifted her in the air and “tossed her with its head.”
Luckily, the woman was able to get to a nearby treatment clinic and was soon released with only minor injuries. “People need to recognize that Yellowstone wildlife is wild ... ,” a park ranger said. “This woman was lucky that her injuries were not more severe.”
If you weren’t already questioning humanity, it gets better. This woman is the third person who has been injured by a bison in a photography-related incident so far this season.
Hopefully we’ve learned our lesson by now. Unless an animal is behind glass in a zoo, resist the temptation to selfie. Let’s all just agree to stick to Instagramming our food — it’s much safer.