Psychology
Myth 4: Visual Perceptions Are Accompanied by Tiny Emissions from the Eyes (50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology)
A surprising number of adults believe that if they fixate on an object, emissions come out. Piaget observed that this belief begins early in life. He notes the case of one child who thought that the looks of two people can connect and mix together.
A surprising number of adults believe that if they fixate on an object, emissions come out. Piaget observed that this belief begins early in life. He notes the case of one child who thought that the looks of two people can connect and mix together. Over half of elementary school children believe that something is emitted from their eyes when they see.
One of the first people to come up with this idea was Plato, who spoke about a “fire” that came out your eye, which coalesced with daylight, and resulted in seeing. Euclid had a similar view before Aristotle rejected the “extramission theory” of vision.
But this didn’t put an end to the belief. In the Mediterranean, the Arab World, Central America, many people believe in the “evil eye”, the idea that psychological harm can be inflicted on others through one’s eyes. The Bible refers to the evil eye in both the Old and New Testaments. And ancient Egyptians used eye shadow to ward off evil spirits.
Other sources include Shakespeare’s line “A lover’s gaze will gaze an eagle blind.” And in everyday language, phrases like “penetrating glance” and “piercing stare” are used.
Source: 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior, Scott O. Lilienfeld
If you are interested in reading books about unmasking human nature, consider reading The Dichotomy of the Self, a book that explores the great psychoanalytic and philosophical ideas of our time, and what they can reveal to us about the nature of the self.
YARPP List
Related posts:
- Rule 9: Assume that the Person You Are Listening to Might Know Something You Don’t(12 RFL)
- Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation (48LOP)
- Law 46: Never Appear too Perfect (The 48 Laws of Power)
- The Maps of Meaning Lectures
Keep Reading
Related Articles
Psychology
Chapter 1: See Things for What They Are – Intense Realism (The 50th Law)
*Malcolm X* Curtis Jackson (50 Cent) learned from his experience on the streets, that the only way to get what you want in life, was to be realistic.
Psychology
Law 2: Never Put too Much Trust in Friends, Learn How to Use Enemies (The 48 Laws of Power)
Pinochet Kissinger Reunion Don’t trust friends, they are likely to betray you because they are predisposed to envy. Hire a former enemy, and he will be more loyal than a friend – he has more to prove. In the 9th century A.D, Michael III, a young man assumed the throne of the Byzantine empire.
Psychology
Chapter 13: God (21 Lessons for the 21st Century)
There are two definitions of God, one is the campfire god that people talk about when they wonder about the universe and its origins. This God is unknown, mysterious, and philosophical. The other God is the one religious people pray to.
Psychology
Law 48: Assume Formlessness (The 48 Laws of Power)
### Law 48: Assume Formlessness *The Spartan Army* The final law in the book reminds us of the caveats of laws in general. There is no fixed law. There are guiding principles, but everything is susceptible to revision.