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There aren't a lot of activities a person could, theoretically, engage in in public view without getting in some kind of trouble, that look as gross as staring
by asark 8y ago
There aren't a lot of activities a person could, theoretically, engage in in public view without getting in some kind of trouble, that look as gross as staring at a screen alone. Any time I catch a glimpse of myself doing it, in a mirror in a video or whatever, I cringe. There's something really icky about it.
The key seems to be catching a view of someone at a computer or in front of a TV or whatever but not also being able to see what's on the screen. It's chilling and creepy for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it is just the "zombie" factor, I dunno.
- msla 8y ago> There aren't a lot of activities a person could, theoretically, engage in in public view without getting in some kind of trouble, that look as gross as staring at a screen alone. Staring at someone staring at a screen? Yelling at someone staring at a screen? Neither of those are technically alone, but that's the point: Bothering someone else is infinitely worse than... you know... not.
- asark 8y agoWhat? I'm considering why we find "screen time" especially distasteful. It just looks bad, for some reason. Worse than someone lounging and reading, worse than a person running or playing a sport, and so on. It's an unsettling activity to watch, and catching a glimpse of oneself doing it is particularly creepy. I don't think I wrote anything about yelling at people. Did I? [EDIT] I think "using a computer" posture especially is the worst. Something about sitting upright at a desk or table using a computer is really weird. Like the person's body's subservient to the activity, while also being kind of absent from the whole thing. It's much worse than bending-neck-to-use-a-cellphone or slouching-on-couch-playing-console-games look.
- chillwaves 8y agoMacular degeration is associated with staring at computer screens excessively.
- msla 8y ago"Stop that or you'll go blind!" is a common refrain from the people scared of anything other people like.
- chillwaves 8y agoThe studies are real, your snide comment aside. Blue light is damaging and a causal relationship with macular degneration is well established.
- msla 8y agoYou're basing your argument on a false premise: Staring at a screen isn't uniquely terrible.
- Macross8299 8y agoThat just sounds like you've internalized some amount of the shame without knowing it.
- asark 8y agoDunno, I've seen the same reaction from a lot of people seeing themselves at a computer for the first time. A kind of frowny "ew." Those of us who use webcams a lot are probably getting over it, but I bet it's still a normal sentiment for everyone else.