This Selfie-Taking Statue Was Vandalized

Over the past weekend, Amasya, a historically significant Turkish city by the Black Sea, unveiled a statue of an Ottoman prince, donned in a turban and robes, holding a sword by his waist and, in an attempt at a 21st century twist, grasps a cell phone in his other hand, stretched ahead and tilted slightly downward in perfect selfie-taking form. But almost immediately after it was installed, the newly erected selfie-taking Turkish statue was vandalized.

The statue was erected to honor the city's illustrious past as the birthplace of many an Ottoman emperor and the center of preparation for to-be sultans for their reign. On Sunday, however, the statue was vandalized — specifically, the phone in its hand had been broken. Police did not launch an investigation, because it was not clear if the cell phone was broken by accident or as an act of protest, but the statue has now been provided with police protection to prevent further defacing.

Despite their disdain for the statue, some locals said that the offender should be punished. Resident Yusuf Erdemli told Today's Zaman:

I find the construction of the statue a meaningless attempt to make fun of a historically important figure. However, the person who broke the cell phone should be found and punished by police.

When officials put up the statue, locals and visitors expressed ambivalence over its modern update. Hürriyet Daily News reported that some acknowledged the sense of humor behind the statue, while others mocked it. Naturally, many took to social media to continue the debate.

2014 may have been the year of the selfie, but rest assured the practice — some call it a habit for the narcissistic — has not died in 2015; rather, it appears to continue on its thriving path.

Most recently, Kim Kardashian, the undisputed queen of selfies, released a literal book of selfies. In Cannes, its prestigious annual film festival has banned the "ridiculous and grotesque" practice. Ironically, festival director Thierry Fremaux — who the aforementioned description of a selfie is attributed to — thinks, "you never look as ugly as you do in a selfie."

Image: Paylaşım Merkezi; YouTube