It's winter and time to continue complaining. Posting your ego-boosting self-images as pictures on social media, with colourful drinks, a lavishly orange setting sun in the background and a good-looking partner with mirrors as sunglasses can be great, but you can do better.
Let's note that we established in an earlier note that the selfie (picture) is the ultimate self-approved ego-weapon in the battle for the most Likes and Smiles on social media. I will start with a short summary and extended explanation.
This selfie is most often created by the star of the picture using a contraption called the selfie-stick to move the camera (in a smart-phone) further than arms' length. In most cases it needs to include the group, team or family (which makes the resulting photograph an ussie).
Quite a deal more annoying if not downright dangerous is the motion picture version. Smart-phones do have the option to create 'clips', short movies of the world around you but also of yourself and/or your actions. Those who live in the real world are almost accustomed to passers-by that are only smiling at their camera in the fist if not in the selfie-stick. Distracted as they are, they cross through red traffic light, bump into other pedestrians, cyclists and worse.
At the other end, the man or woman behind the smart-phone can create wonderful movie clips. From the painful to the outrageous funny, from the sorrows of life to the wonders of nature. Would-be musicians, cooks, dancers, porno-artists, consultants of all sorts tape themselves explaining how to improve the world. Amuse yourself, even if you think you are above this nonsense, by watching the 'compilation of', the 'worst of', the 'best of', the 'ultimate fails of'. Hours, no days of amusement on people attempting to do the impossible, failing to prove a point, hurting themselves doing things their prefrontal cortex should disapprove of.
The holiday-killer, the selfie, has a sports version, a competitor if you will. It is the attempt of thousands to show they are ready for their ultimate challenge in sports. And to impress friends and enemies with their accomplishments. It is the movie-version of the selfie, showing 'ME performing extreme sports, ME doing what YOU should not do, ME going out of bounds'. This is when things get worse.
I will not stop people jumping from cliffs, hand-feeding white sharks, do tricks on the framework for skyscraper builders. But the trick is in the camera most often branded and thus used for making movies. The GoPro. Well designed, well priced and outfitted with a hundred potential accessories. Nothing wrong but the actual use.
People mount these small cameras on boats, cars, planes, bicycles, skis and anything imaginable. But also on the one object I cannot imagine: the crash helmet. The idea is obvious: when placed on any head cover the camera will move with the view of the participant and show the world from her/his view. Yes but....
Remember what a helmet is for and why it is designed as it is. Like, you are an Alpine skier. The helmet is intended to prevent head injuries, more in detail it should prevent forces to the head under all circumstances that could create trauma. So, it is designed to release stress to skull and neck by being rounded, without any obstacles, no weak joints. It will also absorb shocks. If you fall during a downhill your head will glide effortlessly, turn with your body instead of the hill and prevent your head from becoming the break of the body.
Mounting any GoPro-alike onto the helmet will interfere with all of these safety features. The helmet is not a GoPro mount. Mount it on your shoulder, breast, ski but never your head. I think I can sum up at least one Royal prince that may have been killed by his camera.
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