I Love Oysters! Does Anyone Care?

I Love Oysters! Does Anyone Care?

The Reflective Qualia of Seeing Yourself Through Someone Else's Eyes

Sophia: Let us speak of perception, of reflection, and of the curious way the self appears when mirrored in another’s gaze. How does it feel to see oneself externally, yet intimately?

David Hume: Sophia, I must confess, from the universe’s indifferent vantage, the life of man is of no greater importance than that of an oyster. Yet in our personal reflections, we inflate our significance, measuring ourselves through imagined eyes.

Dylan Thomas: And sometimes those eyes bore us, don’t they? We grow tired of the reflections, and realize—half in jest, half in truth—that somebody’s boring me. I think it’s me.

The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.
— David Hume (1711-1776)

Sophia: Ah, the subtle tension between cosmic indifference and self-conscious reflection. Hume reminds us of our smallness; Dylan, of our restlessness within that smallness. Seeing ourselves through others’ eyes can awaken humility—or impatience.

Hume: Indeed. We imagine the judgments of others, yet those judgments are mere shadows, fleeting impressions. What matters is how we observe ourselves, filtered through our passions and habits.

Thomas: But those shadows are often sharper than reality. I catch my own boredom mirrored in another’s gaze, and it is a curious, disquieting revelation. Reflection becomes a form of self-interrogation.

Somebody's boring me. I think it's me.
— Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)

Sophia: That is the essence of reflective qualia—the inner texture of our perception of being seen. It is neither vanity nor despair, but a subtle awareness of how self and other intertwine. In this awareness, we confront both the oyster-like insignificance Hume speaks of and the existential amusement Thomas invokes.

Hume: Then perhaps the proper philosophy is neither self-importance nor self-reproach, but attentive observation: seeing the self, feeling the self, yet acknowledging the vast indifference of all else.

Thomas: And laughing at oneself along the way. After all, who else will find the comedy in our reflections?

Sophia: Exactly. The reflective self is never solitary. It lives in the interplay between our eyes, the eyes of others, and the quiet indifference of the universe. To see oneself through another is to glimpse both the oyster and the poet within.

The planksip Writers' Cooperative is proud to sponsor an exciting article rewriting competition where you can win part of over $750,000 in available prize money.

Figures of Speech Collection Personified

Our editorial instructions for your contest submission are simple: incorporate the quotes and imagery from the above article into your submission.
What emerges is entirely up to you!

Winners receive $500 per winning entry multiplied by the article's featured quotes. Our largest prize is $8,000 for rewriting the following article;

“I see!” said Homer

A deluded entry into Homer starkly contrasts the battles and hero-worship that united our Western sensibilities and the only psychology that we no? Negation is what I often refer to as differentiation within and through the individual’s drive to individuate.

planksip®Heraclitus

At planksip, we believe in changing the way people engage—at least, that's the Idea (ἰδέα). By becoming a member of our thought-provoking community, you'll have the chance to win incredible prizes and access our extensive network of media outlets, which will amplify your voice as a thought leader. Your membership truly matters!