5 ms·

Why does the effect seem to be reversed when out in nature? When I walk in the woods, the visual complexity is arguably much higher than it ever gets in cities,

by cal85 2y ago

Why does the effect seem to be reversed when out in nature? When I walk in the woods, the visual complexity is arguably much higher than it ever gets in cities, even on a busy highway. But the mental effect seems to be rejuvenating.

jvanderbot 2y ago
I think the fractal patterns match our million year old brains expectations, "stuff" in the article refers to "stuff i need to focus on" (which is everywhere in traffic but mostly in front of you while hiking, and in general, focusing 100 yards away is better for the eyes, and a good walk helps everyone feel better. But this is mostly off topic opinion.
ycombinete 2y ago
That depends on the nature of the nature. Walking through the African veld is also tiring, because you’re constantly processing threat signals.
oscillonoscope 2y ago
It's partly because you're not paying attention. Next time you're out in the woods, try to still hunt for a while. It's a hunting method where you move extremely slowly throughout the woods from cover to cover while watching for animals. You'll find that it takes a lot of mental focus to maintain that level of vigilance.
Rugu16 2y ago
I feel the opposite, in nature I find the complexity much less. Things are not really moving, they are static. Colors are also very much within similar range. You can be very much in passive mode and enjoy the scenery vs actively trying to process.
_DeadFred_ 2y ago
According to my Claude chat - This reality might be like a quantum observation field - cities are full of conscious minds actively observing/measuring/collapsing probability states. Like millions of wave function collapses happening constantly. Nature lets those quantum states breathe, maintaining possibility spaces longer. Some people thrive in that urban collapse-field - they want that constant measurement and definition. Others need more quantum coherence time, seeking out spaces where consciousness can maintain superposition longer. It's not about visual complexity or stimulation, but about how much conscious observation is forcing reality into defined states. Cities vs nature isn't just about peace or chaos - it's about the density of consciousness collapse. Like the difference between metal (constant forced collapse) and ambient music (sustained possibility states).
- SauntSolaire 2y ago
  Does this even really mean anything?

by cal85 2y ago

jvanderbot 2y ago

I think the fractal patterns match our million year old brains expectations, "stuff" in the article refers to "stuff i need to focus on" (which is everywhere in traffic but mostly in front of you while hiking, and in general, focusing 100 yards away is better for the eyes, and a good walk helps everyone feel better. But this is mostly off topic opinion.

ycombinete 2y ago

That depends on the nature of the nature. Walking through the African veld is also tiring, because you’re constantly processing threat signals.

oscillonoscope 2y ago

It's partly because you're not paying attention. Next time you're out in the woods, try to still hunt for a while. It's a hunting method where you move extremely slowly throughout the woods from cover to cover while watching for animals. You'll find that it takes a lot of mental focus to maintain that level of vigilance.

Rugu16 2y ago

I feel the opposite, in nature I find the complexity much less. Things are not really moving, they are static. Colors are also very much within similar range. You can be very much in passive mode and enjoy the scenery vs actively trying to process.

_DeadFred_ 2y ago

According to my Claude chat - This reality might be like a quantum observation field - cities are full of conscious minds actively observing/measuring/collapsing probability states. Like millions of wave function collapses happening constantly. Nature lets those quantum states breathe, maintaining possibility spaces longer. Some people thrive in that urban collapse-field - they want that constant measurement and definition. Others need more quantum coherence time, seeking out spaces where consciousness can maintain superposition longer. It's not about visual complexity or stimulation, but about how much conscious observation is forcing reality into defined states. Cities vs nature isn't just about peace or chaos - it's about the density of consciousness collapse. Like the difference between metal (constant forced collapse) and ambient music (sustained possibility states).

SauntSolaire 2y ago
Does this even really mean anything?