This act of “really looking” is deceptive. It requires an almost “unlooking” to see closely, a kind of defocusing. Because: We tend to see in groups, not details. We scan an image or scene for the gist, but miss a richness of particulars. I suspect this has only gotten worse in recent years as our Daily Processed Information density has increased,... See more

We can explore the ways in which our attention is generated, manipulated, valued and degraded. Sometimes attention might simply be a lens through which to read the events of the moment. But it can also force us toward a better understanding of how our minds work or how we value our time and the time of others. Perhaps, just by acknowledging its... See more

We have whites in our eyes because we care about what other people are looking at. The most universal symbol is the arrow (→) because of how primitive it is: the spear precedes words, alphabets, and compasses. It’s a line with a tip at one end, and it’s enough to imply “LOOK”. Its shape embodies its function—to point, to pierce, to direct. Every... See more