Mirrored Image

Pandemic has transferred human interaction forever. We not only share our characters in the extended and observed sessions but also, we share our personal space.

A mirrored image in the mirror stage

Pandemic has transferred human interaction forever. We not only share our characters in the extended and observed sessions but also, we share our personal space. The discourse of voyeurism and privacy is a subsidiary in this project but not less significant.

We share more time in front of the cameras as digital communication is dominating by technological progress and necessity. There are moments we are left alone in the darkness in front of the public eyes, cameras, and webcams. The body is frozen, but the mind travels back to a certain point of memory. Sadness rages and invades into a state of calmness. We inject to the projected time and space. Hands figuratively and autonomously repeat a motion while eyes are staring at the nothingness of infinity. We do not look, but we see clearly, and we feel deeply. Heartbeat speeds up, and lungs expand to the maximum capacity. We sink to the bottom of our ancient water of nakedness. All in front of the others and ours.

Our customizable avatars, images, or videos represent us in digital interactions. Some of the webcams ironically create a mirrored image that flips right to the left, including texts and faces. The requirement to share digital representation and new or unwanted personal images of our characters will confuse us for correction per expectation. For instance, asymmetrical hair looks strange; people unconsciously fix it. They have their eyes on their image at all times to be perfect for viewer[s], but in two-way video communication, there are two shared images plus one live person on each line. Each party interacts with the other's image and with his/her mirrored image or the right image. An image that is not a perfect representation and not reacts as one. The least, losing control leads to distraction compare to the real conversation.
There are other differences in using technology. One cannot look at its own eyes because of the duality nature of display and camera versus the singularity of human eyes and brain function. So, the mirrored image in the display does not work as the image in the mirror. Our perception of the image that is interacting with people as an agent or ambassador changes our self-awareness. Talking image smiles like us talk similar, but it is alive outside of our body. At the end of the communication, by pressing the "disconnect" button, we jumped back, and it is observable and measurable pausing time for adjustment. The faces on the display are directly reacting to each other, and we are just a third person who is the witness from another dimension and different quiddity. It alienates us from our image; the portrait has been interpreted habitually as our true reflection.

When the mirror stage is the child's turning point to reality, the mirrored image would be the regression to a synthetic existence. Nevertheless, the process remains the same, detachment from the unity to plurality.
Either this idea is an accurate depiction or not, soon, we will see a new feature on related apps that correct our moods by a preset. For instance, if a user sets the happiness level high and social mode on active, then the artificial intelligence autonomously manipulates the image to show a happier person crying in reality. Future is happiness!