LIE: Passively looking at human images is harmless

Lie:      Passively looking at human images is harmless.

Truth: Passively looking at human images reduces our ability to relate to people.

Until the early 1800s the only images of the human face and form were reflections from reflective surfaces and portrait artwork. But George Eastman’s invention of roll film triggered a landslide that continues to build, even today.

It’s estimated here in 2020, that the average person in the western world sees hundreds, if not thousands of images every day, many of which are, or contain, images of human faces and bodies.[1] Many of those faces and bodies are professionally photographed and designed to attract attention. But it doesn’t take a professional photographer to create high-quality images — not anymore. All you need is a relatively cheap smart phone. Consequently the Internet is now flooded with an endless variety of human images.

So if you ever doubted that our day is unprecedented in history, this fact alone should convince you. Our attraction to the human face and form knows no bounds — we are endlessly enamored, fascinated by its limitless variety and power. It is no small thing that our faces and our bodies reflect nothing less than the image of God himself. That’s the power of the human presence, which explains much of our fascination with artificial images of it. See also: Lies attacking what is real.

But seeing all of those human – 2D – images is not normal. It’s to the point now that the average person sees more human images than real in-person humans. And when the ratio of human image to real human becomes sufficiently lop-sided, our brains start playing tricks on us. The problem is that it’s hard for our brains to distinguish quality images from the real thing, especially in the age of high-definition audio/visual images, for example, YouTube, Netflix and Instagram.

When we allow someone to take a picture of us (or we take a ‘selfie’), in those images we become objects, and objects are meant to be ‘consumed.’ And by consumed I mean looked at, enjoyed, admired or hated, lusted for, etc. This consumption is a one-way street — there is no relating of two or more real people. And although Zoom and FaceTime allow real-time interaction, the amount of that interaction as compared with non-interactive/passive consumption is quite low.

And let’s face it — substituting simulations of the real is much ‘safer,’ that is, we don’t have to deal with the pressures of real relationships. With passive image consumption we can easily fool ourselves into ‘being in control.’ See also the lie: I’m in control of my life.

This huge volume increase of human image consumption has consequences. One of those consequences is that, when we actually do see people in the flesh, our brains often revert and perversely get stuck, converting the real thing into ‘moving images,’ and then assuming that we can consume them just as we would with any other image.

This tendency is exacerbated, especially in cities where we have so much anonymity, and where the sheer volume of humanity thwarts our ability to relate to people, where even making eye contact is taboo and can even be interpreted as a sign of hostility. Notice the studied avoidance of eye contact – even saying a friendly hello has become difficult. In the effort to protect our anonymity, we sense a certain fear or strangeness in relating to a real, although unknown, person.

The steady decline in our ability to relate is also complicated by the emphasis and exaggeration of the body. Sadly, many of us have accepted this state of affairs and have, in many ways, intentionally or unintentionally, knowingly or ignorantly, objectified ourselves — we’ve made ourselves into an object. We spend a considerable amount of time, effort and money to adorn and enhance our bodies, with clothes, cosmetics, exercise, plastic surgery or Photoshop[2] — with anything that will make ourselves more consumable as an object, that is, slimmer, more fit, more sexy, etc. Some are very good at projecting a body image and using that image to subtly seduce, manipulate or dominate others.

Feedback Loops

The proliferation of images ensures an endless supply of new experiences, potential rewards for reinforcing feedback loops. Actually the Internet itself can be defined as one big feedback loop system.

Let’s illustrate this with the Google Images application. With Google Images you can search for anything and Google will try to interpret your words and give you a raft of image options to peruse. Once you find one close to what you’re looking for and click on it, Google then refines its criteria and returns more images closer to your liking. Each click you make increasingly rewards you with the benefits you seek, whether knowledge, instruction, identification or raw pleasure. Each click and reward is a potentially addicting feedback loop.

. . . CLICK > REWARD > DOPAMINE > CLICK > REWARD > DOPAMINE . . .

Once you get going down this track it becomes very hard to stop.

With each image you click, the brain releases dopamine, which triggers little pleasure puffs that then reinforce your original desire and subtly propels you to click again. This all happens because our brain — an integral part of us — does not distinguish very well between artificial quality images and the real thing.

There are innumerable feedback loops, some are created intentionally to condition us and reinforce behavior. And if not broken or replaced, they carve out powerful neural pathways which create deep-rooted habits, dependencies and addictions.

It’s no wonder that God prohibited the making of images. He knew their insidious nature and warned of them becoming objects of worship. See also lies: Idolatry is rare, part 1 and part 2 and I can become a god, part 1 and part 2.

But back to the original lie: we can’t have it both ways. We can’t participate in the image consumption world and not find it harder to relate — to listen, to understand, to care, to love the real person; we cannot love an object or an image; love and understanding happen in the invisible dimension.

One exception: Is it possible that a photo, perhaps a family picture, can simply remind us of a loved one? I think it can. The problem starts when the image itself becomes the attraction. But if the photo simply causes you to think of the real person that you know, perhaps even to pray for them or call them, talk to them, then yes, that’s all to the good.

What can we do then? Since images are now ubiquitous, we must be deliberate about how often we frequent the places we know those objects will be. This is especially true of the Internet where gratuitous and increasingly insistent advertisements now litter the screen. It’s nearly impossible not to look once you’re there. Don’t forfeit the fathomless beauty of real relationships for counterfeit trinkets. This is the breeding ground, the false allure of pornography. It’s no coincidence that today’s epidemic of porn — some say a 13-billion-dollar industry in the US[3] — is ruining so many men and women and their relationships.

Men, especially men ages 15–30 are increasingly retreating from women in the so-called ‘sexodus.’  Milo Yiannopoulos, in his article, The Sexodus, The Men Giving Up on Women and Checking Out of Society, comments:

Social commentators, journalists, academics, scientists and young men themselves have all spotted the trend: among men of about 15 to 30 years old, ever-increasing numbers are checking out of society altogether, giving up on women, sex and relationships and retreating into pornography, sexual fetishes, chemical addictions, video games and, in some cases, boorish lad culture, all of which insulate them from a hostile, debilitating social environment created, some argue, by the modern feminist movement.[4]

We must seek the true escape routes. Paul says that God provides these for every temptation. The Greek word translated ‘way of escape’ is exodus.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. — I Corinthians 10:13

Most importantly, to solve this, we must cultivate real flesh and blood relationships. There is no substitute for being with people: talking, laughing, listening, eating, serving. worshiping, and praying together. Don’t get sucked into the false world of glittery human objects. Do not underestimate their power to seduce you. Choose to live in the real world of real humans made in the image of the living God.

See also: Lie: Passive use of the internet is harmless, part 1 and part 2.

See also the introduction, Lies attacking our relationships to others.

[1] Whether an image is defined as a still photo or a series of images (a video), either way, it’s hundreds if not thousands of images.

[2] Adobe Photoshop is the leading graphics editing program. See https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopfamily.html

[3] Captured on 7 Oct 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/dec/16/film.usa

[4] Captured on 7 Oct 2018, from https://www.breitbart.com/london/2014/12/04/the-sexodus-part-1-the-men-giving-up-on-women-and-checking-out-of-society/