Polenko’s last words were…
сыыррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррррр……
Okay, okay, sorry.
A tourist fell more than 170 feet to her death when she stumbled while taking a selfie from a clifftop viewing platform, the latest in a string of such incidents.
39-year-old Inessa Polenko plunged from the panoramic Gagry viewing point in Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia as she tried to take a photo of herself.
Polenko, who was a beautician and a keen Instagram user, climbed over a barrier to reach the clifftop viewing point which overlooks the Black Sea. However, as she climbed over the barrier to take a selfie, Polenko stumbled and fell onto a beach below, according to eyewitnesses.
Not to be callous (I guess it’s too late for that) but isn’t this and the above-linked tragic incidents the very definition of “culling the herd”?
!detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
Something worth noting is that this is yet another example of how the patriarchy hurts people. She felt that her image on Instagram was so important that she took risks which ultimately lead to her death. She doesn’t have to be an idiot to have this happen, I’ve done tonnes of stupid dangerous stuff in my life and I’m fairly sure everyone else here can think of a few things that could have gone wrong.
The algorithm of something like Instagram is built around enhancing use of the platform. This is the same fundamental motivation as tobacco companies or gambling companies. Your continued use of the product is essential, even if it is harmful to your health. So they design their product to enhance it’s addictiveness and market to people who are vulnerable, say younger women for example, and boom, revenue.
Meta has a meaningful hand in this type of situation. The same goes for all the other attention economy companies. Their product doesn’t have to be harmful but it is way more profitable if harm is not a consideration.
Nah, it was her fault.
I suspect this was also her income source. She had a monetary incentive to draw eyes to her profiles. It’s tempting to take risks when one sees a way to improve their livelyhood.
Excellent observations.