6 Times When It’s NOT OK to Take a Travel Selfie
In the age of Facebook and Twitter and the ubiquitous selfie, when we all feel the need to make our lives look more exciting by plastering everything we do and see across social media, I have begun to notice a disturbing trend while traveling the world.
A trend that leans toward the ignorant, the insensitive, and the downright disrespectful.
We've all seen THAT tourist. The one throwing up a peace sign at a war memorial. The one grinning at a burial ground. The one snapping selfies at a concentration camp (yes, I've actually seen it happen).
You've probably seen them, too. And maybe you felt a special type of rage towards them like I did.
JUST because you have a smartphone and a nice smile does NOT mean you need to commemorate visits to certain places by taking grinning selfies.
These are just a few of those places:
6 times when you shouldn't take the selfie
1. At a memorial honoring the dead
War memorials, disaster memorials, memorials to people who suffered… these are not the places for grinning or goofy selfies. These are places where people – often people who knew or are related to the victims – go to pay their respects; to remember and honor those who died. You may not have the same connections to these people, but you should keep in mind that others around you do.
Where I've seen it: I see it at nearly every such memorial I visit. Some notable spots have included the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, the 9/11 Memorial in New York City (the last time I was at this one, there was actually a woman doing a fashion photoshoot with a purse there), and even the memorial for the Boston Massacre.
2. At a place where people actually died
I feel like this should be a given. If you are visiting a place where people lost their lives in some sort of horrific fashion, it's not the place to snap a duck-faced selfie. Period. Show some respect. If you're not interested in learning about what happened at said place, at least pretend like you are. Or just don't go in the first place.
Where I've seen it: I'll never forget going to the 9/11 Memorial for the first time in New York City. I went on a tour led by 2 people who were there that day, both of whom had been in one of the World Trade Center towers and managed to get out before they collapsed. Their stories moved me to tears. And then I turned around to see tourists posing with big smiles and peace signs in front of the memorial fountains – fountains that are covered with the names of the victims who died on that very spot. Noooot really the place.
And we've all heard about how literal concentration camps in Europe have had to write rules banning selfies, because people were taking them. (They're still taking them, of course; I just saw a man recently posing for a smiling photo at Auschwitz with my own eyes.)
3. When you are disrespecting the locals
First of all, you should always be respecting the local people in the places you're visiting. After all, YOU'RE the outsider. But, if you're not going to respect them, at least don't take photos of yourself mocking them, their homes, or their way of life. Don't take a photo of (or with) someone that you wouldn't want someone to take of (or with) you.
(In fact, don't use people as props in your photos, period. You should always get permission to take any photos of fellow humans.)
Where I've seen it: People taking selfies with homeless people (because apparently this is cool?). Or people taking selfies with monks when they're going about collecting their morning alms (this one is getting out of control in Southeast Asia).
4. When you are acting like a douchebag
“Acting like a douchebag” can cover a lot. I realize this. But I'm sure you know what I mean – we don't need any more selfies drunk people in public, posing with something inappropriate, defacing something ancient, etc. If you insist on BEING a douchebag, fine. But there's no reason for you to put evidence of it up on Instagram.
Where I've seen it: The worst was probably people snapping selfies while feeding bags of potato chips and cans of Coca Cola to monkeys in Thailand. First of all, please DO NOT FEED WILD ANIMALS in the first place – and especially don't feed them crappy human food. I wanted to slap each and every one of these people.
And I'm sure you've all heard the stories of people taking photos of themselves doing illegal things on their travels (how stupid). If you're going to be an idiot and film proof of it, you deserve to get caught.
5. When something bad is actually happening
Lastly, if you find yourself in a situation where something bad is happening right at that very moment, for the love of God don't think about the best angle for your epic selfie. Put aside your vanity and either get the hell out of there, or figure out what you can do to help.
“Citizen journalists” ARE a thing. But these people report the news – they don't snap MySpace-style selfies when people are getting hurt in the background.
Where I've seen it: I thankfully haven't witnessed this in person – yet. But I'm sure it's only a matter of time.
6. When you're being selfish or oblivious
This one isn't quite as heinous as taking a selfie at a concentration camp, but it's perhaps the situation that will piss off your fellow travelers the most: when you're so oblivious to your surroundings and other people that you inconvenience others and get in everyone's way to take your own photo.
I believe in being very diplomatic when it comes to taking photos at very famous lookouts and viewpoints; I have no problem with people taking selfies – as long as they move out of the way in a decent amount of time so everyone else can get their own photos, too.
If you are either selfish enough to think only your photos matter, or so oblivious that you don't even realize you're blocking others or ruining their special photos, then you are the type of traveler people can't stand.
Where I've seen it: Honestly everywhere these days. But it was definitely the most rage-inducing around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC during cherry blossom season. The views here are great, and you CAN get photos without hundreds of other people in them. But professional photographers like to set up and hog all the best spots for their clients instead of taking turns, which I hate! No one is more deserving of the pretty view just because they're carrying a nicer camera.
What other selfie habits give you rage?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
I had to read this twice because… What the actual Eff?!
Why are people doing this? I took photo’s of Auschwitz, sure, but only some parts- even that made me feel uncomfortable. Actually since visiting Auschwitz I am even more emotional than I was before at site’s like this. We visited the last remaining section of the iron curtain in Slovakia a couple of weeks ago, and the memorial described how the victims who died there were killed. And I was a mess, had to walk away from it. I can never wrap my head around how people can become so evil. So it’s not something I would want to be taking selfie’s of.
I feel the same way, Sammi. I took photos at Auschwitz last year because I knew I would be writing about it on my blog. But there were some parts I couldn’t bring myself to take ANY photos of (like in the crematorium), let alone selfies.
Just wondering, why do you have a problem with people giving the peace sign at a site where people died?
I don’t think it’s the peace sign that is the issue- it’s the whole selfie thing. Why do you want to take a photo of yourself at a site where people were tortured and died?
It’s not the peace sign itself. It’s the people who’s go-to photo is of them wearing a big grin and throwing up a peace sign next to their face (I’m sure you can picture it). I don’t find these appropriate in most cases.
Ugh, all of this is so true. When I was in Cuba we went on a boat excursion to a tiny island called Cayo Iguana – it was home to loads of Iguanas. A horrid fat and hairy Argentinian man decided it would be a great idea to PICK ONE UP while his girlfriend took photos, and then he THREW it down onto the ground when we shouted at him! He then proceeded to chase a large iguana while his girlfriend laughed and took photos, the iguana was so scared it ran into another iguana’s hole and the other iguana attacked it. Poor thing must be traumatized! I was so angry I wanted to cry. Bad tourists piss me off, that’s for sure.
C x
Lux Life
Ugh, that would have made me really angry, too!
I agree.. I saw that girl who was proud of her terrible selfie on the news.. then there was the girl who took a selfie holding hooted mascara from the crash site in Ukraine!
I didn’t see the Ukraine one! God, people make me fear for humanity.
I personally don’t like selfies – period. Especially not in the above mentioned situations.
Yeah, I’m not a huge fan either.
All these things would make me want to punch someone in the face. I’m not a fan of people taking pictures of beggars or homeless people without their permission either, just because people live out on the street doesn’t mean they are there to load on your IG feed. its disrespectful
It’s SO disrespectful. I mean, if it was the other way around, would you want someone snapping a photo of YOU at a low point in life to put up on the Internet? It’s different if you ask for permission, of course. But most people don’t.
I’m glad that I read this post. Never paid heed to such senseless selfies, so I will be more conscious while traveling. (Although i am fond of my own photos) I’m one of those who don’t care for selfies much anyway, so I don’t think I have ever done something of this sort on any of my travels. But, I think everyone should be sensitive towards such places where people have been buried or cremated. And, feeding animals is the worst thing to do!
I don’t really love having photos of me taken, so I’m definitely not a huge selfie-taker as it is. But yes, it’s really important to be conscious of your surroundings if you ARE going to take them!
Great sentiments. My friend took a nasty fall down some stone steps recently, just outside a trendy restaurant packed with people. Not a single person got up to help her, even though she was obviously hurt. But, several people laughed and snickered, and proceeded to take selfies with her in the background, sprawled on the floor with bleeding hands, head and knees. Thank goodness her daughter was with her to lend a hand and call for medical help.
How horrible!!! What is wrong with people?!?
Excellent post – it’s a shame that the worst offenders are probably not readers of great travel blogs.
I don’t like the tiger photos in SE Asia. “Oh it wasn’t drugged,” my friends tell me when they come back from holiday in Thailand. Sure. The big wild animal just loves being cuddled by humans.
Ohhhh don’t even get me started on those tiger temples! They’re horrible! I don’t think they’d be nearly as popular if social media didn’t exist – so many people go just because they want a new profile picture with a tiger in it. 🙁
This reminds me of all the people I saw taking selfies with Thai soldiers after the recent coup. I just don’t get it.
UGH. Yeah, that’s a great example of my last point. I don’t get it, either.
Ohh what a good post! It angers me beyond belief when I see people at memorial sites/monuments showing a complete lack of respect. I remember visiting the beaches of Normandy and the idea of taking a “selfie” never even crossed my mind as I was too busy trying to wrap my head around the mass casualties that occurred at the site. I don’t know what goes through some of these idiots’ heads…
I know! I’m the same way. In fact, even though I’m a blogger and always have photography on my mind, there have been some places where I just couldn’t bring myself to snap ANY sort of photo. Taking a selfie? I would never dream of it.
I really agree with all of your points, but when I went to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, an old Jewish German woman pointed out that it is completely normal for kids and teenagers to be playing among the stones, and it was heartening to her that these children were enjoying the childhoods that so many children were denied during the Holocaust.
She thought that the memorial was a good alternative to a park for young people to spend time, because they will grow up celebrating their lives but always aware of the atrocities that happened in their past–but having lived through those times, she felt like it was important to continue moving on with our lives, even if that meant treating the place like a jungle gym. I don’t know what she’d say about the selfie phenomenon, though.
That’s a really interesting comment, Elizabeth! And it’s true that the memorial is totally up for interpretation – so I guess it’s good to know that the locals don’t mind people playing around on it.
My main issue were the tourists there taking stupid photos who probably had NO idea what the memorial was there to remember.
Good post. I find people’s behaviour ridiculous sometimes, especially that time you saw people playing tag in the memorial. WTF???? I have never seen something quite that bad.
Yeah, I feel like it just gets worse the more popular smart phones and social media become.
When you come out of the toilet cubicle in a nice hotel wearing only your bikini…which is two sizes too small…then don’t bother to wash your hands because you’re too busy extracting your huge camera phone from your too small triangle bikini top to take a selfie posing in the mirror while taking up the space in front of all of the sinks when other people (me) want to wash their hands. Three minutes it took her. Just sayin’ 🙂 Loved this post. Inspired the hater in me…in a fun way. Obviously.
All I can say to that is… EW.
Glad I could inspire the hater in you in a fun way! We all need that sometimes.
That’s when you lean over, put your hand on her shoulder and say “excuse me, I need to wash my hands…”
Rob, I figured personal hygiene was low on her priorities so I wasn’t keen to touch her anywhere 🙂 Guess I could have plucked off some paper towels, covered my hands and, with a grimace on my face, leaned over from an arm’s length distance away…that might have been effective 🙂
People still use Myspace? =P
On a serious note good tips though, feeding the animals is a definite no no in my book. Especially crap like Coca Cola….
I could not BELIEVE that people were giving those monkeys cans of Coke! It was ridiculous! And the fact that they knew how to drink them… that made me really sad.
(As for MySpace photos… haha, I just think everyone can picture what a “MySpace-style photo” looks like!)