As there are those times when I write short essays which could be considered 'self-referencing', and while it could appear that this is another one of them, this particular brief post is more like an exercise in mirroring effects, for fun. This quick glance could also serve as my explanation for why I write that type of essay-- those little attempts at parables that try to dash past the mirror without looking. They don't really want to look at themselves, so I'm always as gentle as I can be with them.
mirror world
I'm keeping this short, out of respect, since each paragraph here seems to sigh "enough about me!". There are times when the individual sentences that are actually about themselves become embarrassed and uncomfortable even as they are being written. They insist on being added to larger paragraphs, probably so that if the essay is somehow faulty, then they won't be so easily blamed. 'Safety in numbers', is likely the sentiment at work here. It's understandable, and I provide relief when I can.
Some individual sentences can't bear to be isolated-- separated from the group-- so I'll avoid writing them like that if I sense any distress at all.
This was just a quick glance at some self-referencing examples of writing. There were some related things that I was going to work in here, about how the observable world is very much like a mirror, and I was thinking of ways to couple that idea with concepts like 'observer effects' and potential universes being precipitated into reality constantly, or how we are those observers, but it got too heavy. The idea can become too uncomfortable to hold, since the very notion of everyone's random thoughts falling like rain and hail into the world sounds pretty messy-- and what a responsibility! We would all have to be careful what we think, all of the time.
(Sometimes these little essays realize that they are actually about themselves right at the end, and they might become self-conscious, so I just wrap it up neatly and gently as I can.)
Thanks for reading this quick glance, see more @therealpaul
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images via Pixabay
observations by therealpaul @ @therealpaul