what changes about your experience when you get your depth perception back is not that you know some factual statement that you didn't know before; it's that your perception, at a precognitive preconscious level, has literally acquired a new dimension
Conversation
you are literally seeing an aspect of reality you couldn't see before. this isn't something you can really explain to someone who doesn't see it. the best you can do is try to give them instructions for doing weird stuff that might restore their depth perception natively
1
12
you also don't have to understand anything about the physics or neuroscience of depth perception to have it. you don't have to know what parallax is or have the idea that the brain is capable of inferring depth from comparing the views from your left vs. right eye
1
1
7
the foundational thing is to have it at all. there are things you can do with depth perception that others will struggle with, like accurately hitting animals with projectiles from a distance, and you can demonstrate this skill to others, at least
1
6
some of the first few accidental pioneers might become wild-eyed prophets, spreading the Gospel of Depth wherever they can, with varying levels of success
1
9
eventually one hopes the WALL-E humans successfully spread the Gospel of Depth everywhere, whereupon it might gradually, over generations, fade back into the background of human experience
1
7
if your depth perception is functioning perfectly you don't need to pay attention to it; if everyone's depth perception is functioning perfectly nobody needs to talk about it. sometimes attention is for things that need repair
1
10
nevertheless this was an important and pivotal moment in their history; one hopes they'll keep records of how they learned that they lost something and learned how to get it back, to help future generations keep it
2
9
This is a really cool thread, I'm obsessed with different ways of seeing. For eg have you heard of the Moken? "Moken children are able to make their pupils smaller and change their lens shape. Seals and dolphins have a similar adaptation?"
3
6
I love thinking about other potentialities that are hidden within us, ones that aren't found in any culture yet.
Also, you might find this stuff interesting
Quote Tweet
One of the scholars brought over was John Wilson of the University of London. He and his team were showing a five minute film to a group of ~30 rural Kenyans about how to avoid mosquitoes, and hence malaria. The film was very simple, just showing a guy going about his business,
Show this thread
3
4
Replying to
oh this is fascinating, thanks! one of the stories here reminds me of a bit from preconquest consciousness - not in terms of depth but in terms of "how real" images can seem
ranprieur.com/readings/preco
the whole thing is a really wild read, i think about it a lot. i've heard some people say some of this stuff has been criticized by later anthropologists which i have not looked into at all but welp
1
2
Show replies