Culture
There's a Simple Solution to the Smithsonian's Ban on Selfie Sticks
Museums have long devised methods of accommodating visitors who annoy others.
This week the Smithsonian Institution clarified its position on selfie sticks. Under the new dispensation, tripods or monopods—I take it that that's the technical term for selfie sticks—are prohibited in Smithsonian museums and gardens. In Washington, D.C., that's tantamount to banning selfie sticks from the National Mall altogether.
But it's worth considering that selfie sticks are nothing new in this debate. Cameras have always been controversial in the public sphere. Selfie sticks are just an extension of that controversy, if you will, and probably a passing fad at that. The core concern is really the camera.