7 Reasons Why You Should Opt For A Selfie Stick And Not A Drone

Drones look cool. But should you buy one? Selfie Sticks lack that cool factor, but may be a better all around purchase than a drone. Here are some reasons why you might want to hold off.

1. They don't require skill to fly: Have you ever tried out one of this toy helicopters sold at a mall kiosk? Pretty difficult to get the hang of. Having a drone is markedly more complicated and expensive. It's advised to become adept at flying one of those helicopters first before venturing out into drone territory. A selfie stick? No flight required, unless you're being hurtled off a yacht out on the Pacific and want to capture that moment.

2. They don't crash: When drones crash, they can a) break, b) harm people, and c) cost more money. There are many testimonials of people who have lost their drones in an ocean somewhere or have crashed them on their first flight. If you're buying one, make sure it's something you can afford to break. The selfie stick? Well, they can 'crash' anything: parties, bar mitzvahs, even funerals. But they won't hurt anybody--well at least physically.

3. They're not unpredictable: There are reports of people who have flown their drones only to watch them veer off out of control and crash. If you're planning to buy a drone, make sure you know what tho do with them and when to fly them. Most drones, it is claimed, are unpredictable and will fly out of control. The technology simpley isn't there. Selfie sticks? Well, they're out there--literally. Can't be too discrete with a 5-foot telescopic pole with a camera on the end while walking down Bloor and Yorkville.

4. They're not expensive: A good drone begins at $500; and with the points above about skill and unpredictability, you have to be comfortable with crashing them and losing that money, not to mention all the other surrounding gear for them: upgrades, battery packs, etc. A selfie-stick? 

5. They don't invade privacy: It might be cool to have your drone cover your party, but if it veers off somewhere and begins taking video of your neighbours, you could face legal issues. A selfie-stick? Well, ok, they can invade privacy if you're stupid enough to walk behind someone wielding one of them, but the person being spied on has more control over the proximity to the said selfie stick--unless of course you are being chased by one, but then you have other problems.

6. They don't present Legal issues--yet: There are plenty of laws detailing what is legal practice for flying drones but even that isn't entirely clear. There are issues every day involving drones and privacy. Selfie Sticks? Well, I know they are, as of yesterday, banned at the Kentucky Derby--incidentally along with drones; but they seem to be more tolerated legally than drones.

7. You don't become part of the problem: We already have surveillance in many parts of our society that is only getting worse. Do we really need more cameras in the air? It could be easier to just buy a selfie stick--it's cheaper, and you can still watch yourself all you want while doing other things.  Selfie sticks may be annoying, and look ridiculous, they cost lest money, they won't injure someone when crashing, they don't require much skill, and they are quite predictable. Selfie sticks? Well, there is the problem of narcissism, self-absorption, and photo/video proliferation; but those issues can be easily ignored by the sheer comedic factor those parading with such sticks provide.