To see or to be seen?
Wearing a pair of glasses actually teaches me a philosophical lesson. It makes me very aware of how important physical appearance is in one culture; not only that I can see clearly people and what they are wearing in my surrounding, but I can also see glance of my reflection in the eyes of others.
Glasses have become more than just a seeing device, it has become part of you. In kids' world it is a tag that differs you from other children. It makes you different and sometimes outcast you. In student world, it is a perceived sign of intellect; labelling you as smart or even a geek. In an objective world, it is a sign of handicap, weakness, or just "bad" reading habit.
But then, time evolves, glasses are not that exceptional anymore. Plus, capitalist's opportunistic talent has created the need for glasses. Why only see with glasses, if you can also be seen with glasses? Trendy, expensive, and branded glasses then become part of clothing gear.
Nevertheless, glasses are still not universally welcome. More than once I had to fight for my right to see. Every important event, for which I had to let my face to be remade, had been a reflection moment. Those beauty-maker ladies always fussed about how my glasses would hinder others to see how my eyes were beautifully done, and that I should not wear them. My complaints for not being able to see clearly were dismissed as minor. Who cares if I couldn't see whom I shaked hands with, if people could clearly see how long my fake eye-lashes were, how colourful my eye-lids were, or how dark my eye-lines were!
My head was always full of everlasting debate, during those painful make-over operations. What is more important, to see or to be seen? Are women condemned to be the object of observation? Should women only care about their look but not what is "under the surface"? Should women judge themselves and others on how good-looking they are? Are women condemned to superficiality?
I always wanted to scream, "I don't care about how they would see me, I care about what I can see!"
Glasses have become more than just a seeing device, it has become part of you. In kids' world it is a tag that differs you from other children. It makes you different and sometimes outcast you. In student world, it is a perceived sign of intellect; labelling you as smart or even a geek. In an objective world, it is a sign of handicap, weakness, or just "bad" reading habit.
But then, time evolves, glasses are not that exceptional anymore. Plus, capitalist's opportunistic talent has created the need for glasses. Why only see with glasses, if you can also be seen with glasses? Trendy, expensive, and branded glasses then become part of clothing gear.
Nevertheless, glasses are still not universally welcome. More than once I had to fight for my right to see. Every important event, for which I had to let my face to be remade, had been a reflection moment. Those beauty-maker ladies always fussed about how my glasses would hinder others to see how my eyes were beautifully done, and that I should not wear them. My complaints for not being able to see clearly were dismissed as minor. Who cares if I couldn't see whom I shaked hands with, if people could clearly see how long my fake eye-lashes were, how colourful my eye-lids were, or how dark my eye-lines were!
My head was always full of everlasting debate, during those painful make-over operations. What is more important, to see or to be seen? Are women condemned to be the object of observation? Should women only care about their look but not what is "under the surface"? Should women judge themselves and others on how good-looking they are? Are women condemned to superficiality?
I always wanted to scream, "I don't care about how they would see me, I care about what I can see!"
posted by Pipit at
10:54 AM
12 Comments:
walah...sama..saya juga pake kacamata. Dokter mata bilang, saya sebaiknya tidak memakai kontak lense krn mata sy cenderung infeksi, kering.
Kadang sih saya ga pake kacamata- kalo pengen tampil beda (tp ga bisa lama2...).
Sebenernya yg plng ga enak, pake kacamata itu kalo kacanya pas berembun..ha ha ha..
Sya harp di masa depan nanti mata sy bisa dioperasi dan tidak perlu pakai kacamata lagi!
By
Anonymous, at February 11, 2006 2:36 PM
Betul banget! Apalagi pas musim dingin seperti ini, setiap masuk ke bis atau ruangan pasti jadi "buta" untuk beberapa detik, kaca mata berembun.. :)
Operasi mata...hemm...terus terang saya agak takut. Lensa kontak juga nggak bisa, karena saya orangnya ceroboh. Jadi sepertinya kaca mata tetep akan bertengger di hidung deh..hehehe.
By
Pipit, at February 11, 2006 4:06 PM
beruntunglah saya yang nyaman-nyaman sahaja pake softlens (termasuk beruntung ngga sih tiap berapa saat harus netesin mata, harus menjauh kalo ada yang ngerokok kayak lokomotif, kalo lagi keringetan berat itu softlens bisa lepas sendiri huhuhu)
and yes, i also do care what i can see that is why i put my glasses/lenses on, no? hihi literally :p but of course i also care how people see me, well at least that's why i bath twice a day religiously and put the smiling face most of the times haha!
By
Anonymous, at February 11, 2006 7:26 PM
Impressive post, I needed years ago a long while to wear glasses, I don?`t know, what I thought, it`s about 20 years ago, today the glasses are part of my appearence and it`s not that bad, evry person is at first the body you meet, that`s not just a matter of capitalists ( but its true, everything that can be sold will be sold...) its a matter of seeing, of meeting, of feeling people...and become a problem, when you begin to see yourself all the time through a third eye...
but did you scream, how do you feel now...?
and in fact, if you feel good with what and how you see, it`s good to see you ( and that matters a little, if we want it or not...
By
klangschale, at February 13, 2006 1:36 PM
Nana: Hayyahh..nana, kalau soal mandi dan menjaga kebersihan dan kerapihan diri sih memang penting. Tapi apa penting nemplokin eye-shadow sampe bergram2 dan berbulu mata sepanjang 5 cm? Lha kalau hanya agar terlihat seperti 'artis' terus harus rela ber-buta-ria sebal juga toh?
Klangschale: I love my glasses, it can be a burden but I never hate myself for needing it. I am angry not to the fact that I have to wear glasses, but to the fact that I have to give up my glasses for some stupid make-up.
It's just a critic to the way my society defines beauty. For this society, beautiful woman equals to women with perfect but often heavy make-up. Artifical beauty rules in this society, unfortunately.
By
Pipit, at February 14, 2006 10:15 AM
I need to see the beauty of my surroundings, more than to be seen as I don't consider I have more beauty to be seen by other people ..
By
Anonymous, at February 14, 2006 11:11 AM
Hello Pipit of course you`re right and I guess I can see from you`re pictures, that you`re feeling good with the glasses and everything...
I`m often irritated by women with much make up or other things, I wouldn`t wear, but it`s like shaving legs, I don`t really get it...
happy times
By
klangschale, at February 14, 2006 2:15 PM
Silverlines: C'mon..don't be that modest. I'm sure you are such a beautiful woman...judging from your new year's eve experience..hihihi ;)
Klangschale: What can I say, it's social pressure. Women think that they are SUPPOSE to put make up or shave their legs. It's part of being woman, a somehow duty.
By
Pipit, at February 15, 2006 5:08 PM
hei Pipit I guess the whole thing is an all time favorite and at this point I think I have to be lucky to be a man...
I don`t understand most articles on your page but I like it...feels good...
happy times
By
Anonymous, at February 15, 2006 8:44 PM
I must say you're right...all time favorite. Better live with it, I guess...
I'm sorry about the language. It's Indonesian, my mother language. I'll try to write in English, although it reminds me of schoolwork. :)
Thanks a lot for your visit, Ronald. I wish I could read German... :)
By
Pipit, at February 22, 2006 5:51 PM
Right, like schoolwork it is, but thanks that I had not to ask which language You`re writing...it`s okay, the limitations of writing in a different language are too big, and so i`m writing entirely in german ( okay a little profile in english ) but to tell the things I want to tell I have to follow the thoughts and it`s difficult enough to do it in the language I know then to do it in a foreign language...maybe later I`ll try it out...but...when i think of it, maybe a little earlier...anyway, I`m just a beginner in thiese field of blogs so what happens happens...
oh and the comment, lucky to be a man...sounds stupid...sounds...not okay...
happy times
By
Anonymous, at February 23, 2006 7:03 AM
Wah, berkacamata ya :D
Semua orang tentu ingin memiliki mata yang sehat/baik dan tak ingin repot menggunakan kacamata untuk dapat melihat segala sesuatu dengan baik.
Dan bagi yang terlanjur memakai kacamata minus atau silindris/silinder (seperti si Pipit) masing-masing tentu pernah mengalami kesan (atau problem?)tersendiri.
Namun terlepas dari beberapa kesan/'pe-label-an' yang disebut di atas sepertinya ada yang luput dari perhatian Pipit, yaitu; keren dan elegan. Dan berhubung saya laki-laki, saya punya tambahan satu lagi yaitu ehm.. apa ya.. (bingung juga mendeskripsikannya) yah, sebut saja 'asik di liat', untuk cewek yang memakai kacamata minus. Perihal keren dan elegan artinya sudah jelas, tapi untuk yang terakhir terus terang, itu adalah kata-kata yang paling tepat (buat saya)untuk mendeskripsikan hal yang saya rasakan saat melihat cewek yang pakai kacamata minus. Dan saya bukan satu-satunya, rekan-rekan saya pun ternyata banyak yang menyukai cewek berkacamata, tapi alasan mereka pun ternyata juga nggak jelas, ada yang bilang; "unik deh", "sexy!"(apanya coba?), "..keliatannya gimanaaa gitu...", dsb.
Nah, glasses girls, mulai sekarang kalian kudu hati-hati. Karena di luar sana ternyata ada segolongan cowok yang 'hobi' dengan kalian :))
nb: saat-saat paling mengesankan buat saya adalah saat ketika si cewek melepas sebentar kacamatanya (saat akan membersihkan wajahnya atau sekedar mengelap lensa kacamatanya), ada sensasi tersendiri yang membuat saya mampu untuk tidak berkedip, hahahahaha!!
By
anulucu, at November 05, 2006 7:41 PM
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