philosophy: saccades + light streaks = letters

content/philosophy.tree

@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
         - hey don't make this weird, okay.
         showers are good for having thoughts.
 
+% content.link = "philosophy/light-streaks"
+  id = "01JG55SH9HYR7TK5G1RVAGYQWR"
++ :page: my weird stim: writing with light streaks
+
 % content.link = "philosophy/responsibility"
   id = "01JDJ0RF3KJ2DT7E4RFVB79ZJH"
 + :page: on responsibility & conformity
@@ -43,3 +47,4 @@
 + :page: hedonic treadmill ([wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill))
 
 
+

content/philosophy/light-streaks.tree

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+%% title = "my weird stim: writing with light streaks"
+
+% id = "01JG55KYCYD0CHXQ582XTAHMP6"
+- a long time ago my brain built up a [stim][] that it likes to perform when bored: I draw words with my eyes.
+
+[stim]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimming
+
+    % id = "01JG55KYCY19W6ZJ4YVGPWZY5N"
+    - what this means is, I [saccade][] my eyes in various directions while looking almost directly at a light source, to draw out words, which persist in my field of view for a short moment due to [persistence of vision][pov].
+
+    [saccade]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccade
+    [pov]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_of_vision
+
+    % id = "01JG55KYCYN2Q5H8ZKT1EF24AQ"
+    - I don't exactly know when it started.
+    I remember being enamored by how the human eyes are built & how they behave ever since I was little, so naturally one day I discovered you could use persistence of vision to draw out shapes, and therefore also letters.
+
+        % id = "01JG55KYCY9M8KSWAD75819X3P"
+        - soon enough it became a regular thing.
+
+% id = "01JG55KYCYAF89FVTNH6SHEYPC"
+- I tend to do this whenever I'm bored, there's a clear, point light source, and there's nothing else to do.
+(for example, when I'm waiting for a conversation to end.)
+
+% id = "01JG55KYCYDCKCBJJXE1ED6C8B"
+- if you ever see my eyes jerking in weird ways IRL, now you know why.
+
+    % id = "01JG55KYCYGMR959WPD839Z4MH"
+    - most likely, I'm just writing out whatever word my brain has fixated on at the moment with light.
+
+        % id = "01JG55KYCY49JHG79S9XJA55A8"
+        - and most likely, that word is whatever you just said.
+
+    % id = "01JG55KYCYRR6MMFG7VRZXPBNR"
+    - I've heard some people say it looks really creepy, and I believe them; unfortunately there's nothing I can really do about it.
+    my brain cannot stand being bored, and this is its default remedy.
+
+

content/treehouse/new.tree

@@ -25,6 +25,16 @@ if you've been wondering what I've been up to, you've come to the right place.
         if you want to read any of the posts, follow the links.
         it's like that by design.
 
+% tags = ["philosophy"]
+  id = "01JG55SF4FRRF9RDW9KMYHAECF"
+- ### [my weird stim: writing with light streaks][page:philosophy/light-streaks]
+
+    % id = "01JG55SF4FNVYJVY6XGVAZ08GE"
+    - I had a conversation with a friend where I was saying how spacey I get sometimes, and this weird little stim of mine came up.
+
+    % id = "01JG55SF4F5C76TWW1MF78128G"
+    - I wonder if anyone else has ever experienced something similar.
+
 % tags = ["design"]
   id = "01JEPCD4EPZJ2ACJX9J15ZBFSG"
 - ### [animations & perception of sluggishness][page:design/animations]
@@ -325,3 +335,4 @@ if you've been wondering what I've been up to, you've come to the right place.
   id = "01H969NN1ACXG26T2NHCM7BHYY"
 - ### [Radiohead - OK Computer][page:music/reviews/radiohead/ok-computer]
 
+