Lone men in moment’s of contemplation and isolation this week. They seem lonely but are they just alone? All the protagonists are seen from a distance and somehow the less you can see on their faces the more you project. They all looked deep in thought but you can never say for sure what is going on in people’s minds. Take the guy above. He definitely looks like he’s processing something and despite his position knelt on the pavement he seems a million miles away. His mind is clearly elsewhere and far from his current situation. Maybe what he’s going through is too much to bear and he seeks refuge in a daydream to dampen the impact of his reality
I did David Lynch’s masterclass this week as wanted to spend a bit of time with the recently departed director. And it was a joyful experience. Such a beautiful and inspiring human being in every way. I won’t do a Lynch tribute because there is just too much to say on that subject but in one of the lessons he talks about the importance of daydreaming for creative ideas. And with our ever-present tech it has become a very rare experience. No-one is lost in their thoughts anymore because in any given down moment they have to themselves they will inevitably be looking at their device.
And I know highly ironically the one dude who is on his phone is the one who looks like he came from a different century..
It’s actually incredibly difficult to find stationary people not looking at their phones these days. And it now actually looks weird when people are just standing there not looking at their machines. I think that is why the shots this week have such a haunting quality to them. It feels strange to see someone, especially a man, just standing there. What’s he doing? Is he just standing there or is he lurking?
I’m not sure if lurking is technically a crime but general consensus is that it often leads to one. Can you lurk innocently? I’m not so sure. I actually think if any man was genuinely lurking they would probably cover it up by looking at their phone so they are most likely just having a moment to themselves. They are using up a rare bit of downtime in their lives to do nothing. To daydream.
Truth is we do not daydream enough. And where have all the daydreams that we would have had if we weren’t glued to the digisphere gone? Are they still floating around our brains unable to escape? Trapped in a nether region of our neo-cortex destined never to see the light of day? Daydreaming it turns out isn’t a brain dysfunction as previously thought but a necessary and vital brain function. It not only helps with creativity as Lynch states but also for problem solving and mood regulation as it allows us to escape from current stressors.
So we should all be daydreaming a lot more. If you find yourself with a moment to spare resist the urge for a digital dopamine fix and let your mind go from a whirr to a purr. Release those pent up daydreams. And men, if you feel self-conscious daydreaming on your own get yerself a pal to be your daydreaming wingman. But don’t talk to him. Just stand there awkwardly not saying anything. Sound good?
Lovely post. I didn’t know about Lynch’s Masterclass, will definitely have a look at that.
By the way, is it lurking if you have a camera in your hand? Because I just hang around on street corners a lot like that 🫣