THE TRAGEDY OF THE SELFIE

: The development of social networks, new media and communication platforms has reactivated the problem of loneliness of the contemporary man, but also contributed to the emergence of new phenomena that, although not directly, have to do with loneliness. One of them is death due to selfies. It is about activities and actions of individuals that lead to a tragic outcome, even though they are primarily intended as a game. It is almost possible to speak of a new media genre, the tragedy of the selfies, which, among other things, can be linked to the ancient tragedy as a theatrical genre. Every day we hear the stories of “tragic heroes” who lost their lives by taking photos with their phones, simply wanting to amaze the virtual audience with their “craziness” and uniqueness. At the core of their media-dramatic performance is playing with the categories of the real and the illusory, but also the need to attract attention and to impress others. The tragic fall of the “hero” of the tragedy of the selfies, as well as that of the “tragic man” in the theatrical scene in ancient dramas, is related to a certain recklessness or mistake that anyone can commit. Contemporary heroes and “mediocre characters” of the tragedy of the selfies, as well as those many centuries ago in Aeschyl’s works, can be blinded by the terrible Ate, the goddess of blindness, mental restlessness and deception, and lured into her networks and abysses. The paper seeks to explain the peculiarities of this media genre. It is argued that the modern man, although in a high-tech communication environment, is a victim of loneliness, and that our world is tragic and divided.Publishe