Saturday, January 18, 2025
A photo or a video doesn’t quite capture a person’s true essence. When you see someone “live” it’s so much more dynamic, impressive, and reverent. In a photo or video, there’s an ineffability missing. When someone is flattened into a two dimensional object and pixelated, it never measures up to the panoramic “live performance.”
I wish I could see myself. I mean, really see myself. I cannot experience myself from the outside. I see images and videos, and I even see myself in the mirror, but I will never see myself in 3D and from afar. I will never be able to see my countenance and experience my presence and energy from the outside. So mostly, I have an image of myself, an idea of what I’m like. It’s like a portrait, a video, or a reflection. It doesn’t measure up to the totality of who I am.
The closest thing to an out-of-body experience is to look at another person. Their presence creates a space in you of respect and awe. This is how you would react if you saw yourself from the outside – you’d back up. It wouldn’t look like “you” anymore. You would see a stranger and you’d respect that wonderful effervescence that can’t be captured in images. You’d see yourself with the same standoffishness you see others with. You wouldn’t touch them the way you touch yourself, or invade upon their intimacy like you do with yourself.
You may be too close for comfort and have overridden the awe, assuming you’re not all that much. Imagine treating others as invasively and dismissively as you treat this person you think you are. You’ve encroached upon your mystique. I think if you could see yourself from the outside, you’d immediately back off and feel the reverence and palpability you exude. You’d be shocked that you’ve missed the essence of your dignity all these years.