Sunday, August 26, 2007

Vanity

How often do you look in the mirror? How long do you look in the mirror each time you do take a look? Do you look at your reflection as you walk past windows?

Many people feel uncomfortable about admitting to looking at themselves in a reflection at every opportunity. Should we be? There's really nothing wrong to it as long as you're not doing it to criticise yourself or point out every little flaw. If you feel like it, just look. Thats what I do. And take a look at Aaron. I pushed him to the part of the glass where the poster wasn't hanging but he insisted on coming to this gold pole and staring at his reflection instead.

I wonder why it is that as we grow up (or perhaps its only me) we start to think that looking at ourselves in the mirror is something too vain to do. While my father is one that has no qualms about looking in every reflection, my mother is always giving me the impression that there is really no need to constantly check yourself out. I'm a mixture of the both of them. I look at my reflection while thinking that I shouldn't need to worry about how I look. Usually, I'm just making sure that I'm standing straight and not walking with my head in front of my toes.

9 comments:

noisms said...

I have that same fear of vanity, although I'm not sure why. Vanity would be looked at yourself and thinking "Wow, what an attractive man/woman I am!" whereas I tend to look at myself out of curiosity - "So this is what other people see when they look at me."

I also have a tendency to slouch when I walk, so I sometimes check my reflection to make sure I'm keeping my back straight. It's for my health, really; making sure I don't develop back problems in later life. Not vanity. Definitely not. Honest.

Unknown said...

"Mirror Vanity" runs in the family!....;) Aaron's grandpa must be sneezing a lot lately.

John A Hill said...

I think that, for what ever reason, it is partially animal instict. It may be that we want to see how a potential mate ses us, or how a rival sees us. I say this because I've noticed that animals tend to look at their reflections as well--and I doubt that it has to do with vanity!

For me, it to see if I have anything clinging to my beard or food stuck in my teeth.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Personally, I'm never bothered, and rarely look in a mirror.

Bilbo said...

I don't usually look at myself in the mirror after my morning wash and shave, unless I'm at the dance studio or a dance competition...then I'm always wanting to make sure I'm looking as good as a well-used grandfather can look. I'm like John in that way - wanting to make sure nothing nasty is sticking in my teeth or whatever.li

Mateo Armenta said...

It´s the opposite for me. Of course I look myself in the mirror, but I hate to catch a glimpse of me while in a meeting eating. In that case I would change seats to in that way be "hidden" from the mirror.

Amanda said...

Yes..most people look in the mirror to make sure they look presentable. And if they are having a good looking day...its a bonus I guess.

So far all the comments are from men. Where are the women?

Serina Hope said...

I don't blame him for looking. He is a cutie. I think it is good to look in the mirror. It means that you are comfortable with who you are I think. Of couse, I may be vain :)

NomadicExpat said...

Oh, it's another phase that babies go through... but with your dad, you begin to wonder. ;-) Hahaha!