You Only THINK You Look Good

Writing about mirrors has me thinking of the True Mirror that shows you how you really look.

I just heard a podcast about it by the two fun guys from Radiolab.

The idea is you MAY look better than you think!  (but don’t get your hopes up.)

"At the physical-appearance level, there are some very useful applications of the True Mirror," the website pitch says.

"There is a 3-D effect from the two mirrors used in a True Mirror, which gives a better idea of how clothes fit on your body"

Because it’s two mirrors placed at right angles, see, with the seam that joins them masked  in some ingenious fashion we don’t quite understand.

So you may think you look dashing in that new suit jacket but really you look like Fiorello LaGuardia as depicted in the poster for the Broadway show.

Also, the pitch goes on,  you have to realize that “hair styles have very distinct ‘looks’ depending on if an asymmetric hair part is chosen - something we believe contributes very strongly to the impression people have of us” - and they advise us to read their theory on where you part your hair for more on that.

“In addition, hats and glasses styles and any accessory can be accurately viewed for the effect. For example, if you wear a brimmed hat in an angle, your choice of which angle looks the best is probably exactly OPPOSITE from the angle that you should be wearing the hat!”

TRUE ENOUGH!  I wear this hat you see above sometimes and only sometimes is it actually workin’ for me. “Hey, nice LID!” guys call to me from across the street and maybe they’re not being sarcastic.

Other times I wear it tipped too far back and I just turn into Will Rogers minus the quips and the lasso.

“Is the True Mirror for everyone?" the site blurb goes on. "Frankly, no. It isn't much use for shaving your face or plucking your eyebrows. Not after a lifetime of learning to do these things backwards!" (And in high heels.)

“And the novelty value of the effects described above wears off rather quickly."

BUT -  big but, which the mirror can also help you with identifying truly,  “learning about yourself is a different matter. Introspection and the journey of self-discovery is a multifaceted adventure involving many processes and tools. Adding this new way of communicating with yourself privately can help you validate feelings and thoughts that you may already know about yourself -- aspects of yourself that are conspicuously absent in a traditional mirror. With the True Mirror, you can more quickly understand yourself and subsequently reach your own goals more completely.”

Communicating with yourself privately: just what this ego-mad culture needs more of, Gad!

So let's hear it now for the nation’s favorite occupation: Dancin’ With Your S-eh-elf. And have a good, selfish Mem-Day weekend, y'all.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=812HHetzbe4]