I think mirrors are a wholly psychological thing. Like sure you’re seeing a reflection of the light bouncing off a mirror and into your eyes but the second both versions of your eyes connect, something changes from what your retinas physically see to what your brain interprets. The best everyday example I can think of is scanning a QR code. There’s a moment where the camera doesn’t know what it’s looking at, just a blur of small squares, then in a flash, it recognises and processes what it believes it sees. Suddenly it understands that it isn’t looking at a square but a visual representation of information.
And honestly, I think the human eye does the same. Your face, body and appearance being the QR code, a visual representation of data, data made up of your feelings towards yourself; what you love, hate, wish would change, the perception of yourself in your own eyes. When this ‘data’ is processed, when your brain connects and realises the image it’s seeing is of its owner, some of the first things you think of are your own insecurities. Things that you’ve highlighted as bad so keep a special eye out for them. Things that, being honest, no one else sees as faults other than yourself. I mean you’re the judge, jury and executioner of your thoughts. It’s just a shame your mental executioner can’t put you out of your misery and instead just nags at you until it drives you mad or forces you to solve these problems your own mind created.
Mirrors do an excellent job of throwing those insecurities into a personalised catalyst, inflating your personal views and giving your insecurities the wheel. There’s nothing worse than your own brain being against you. Maybe that’s why they say you should cover up mirrors when you do LSD, in case the data you see isn’t in your mental health’s best interest.
Have you ever wondered how we can walk down a street and pass millions of well-dressed people without issue but the moment you see someone dressed a little different from the norm your attention is drawn to them? There must be millions of normal, fine, acceptable things about yourself that are just strolling through your mind, given no attention at all for every one ridiculous insecurity you’re suffering from because you gifted it to yourself.
I spent the whole day without looking at the time, felt great. I ate when I was hungry and slept when I was tired. Easy.