There aren't a lot of activities a person could, theoretically, engage in in public view without getting in some kind of trouble, that look as gross as staring at a screen alone. Any time I catch a glimpse of myself doing it, in a mirror in a video or whatever, I cringe. There's something really icky about it.
The key seems to be catching a view of someone at a computer or in front of a TV or whatever but not also being able to see what's on the screen. It's chilling and creepy for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it is just the "zombie" factor, I dunno.
Dunno, I've seen the same reaction from a lot of people seeing themselves at a computer for the first time. A kind of frowny "ew." Those of us who use webcams a lot are probably getting over it, but I bet it's still a normal sentiment for everyone else.
> There aren't a lot of activities a person could, theoretically, engage in in public view without getting in some kind of trouble, that look as gross as staring at a screen alone.
Staring at someone staring at a screen? Yelling at someone staring at a screen?
Neither of those are technically alone, but that's the point: Bothering someone else is infinitely worse than... you know... not.
What? I'm considering why we find "screen time" especially distasteful. It just looks bad, for some reason. Worse than someone lounging and reading, worse than a person running or playing a sport, and so on. It's an unsettling activity to watch, and catching a glimpse of oneself doing it is particularly creepy. I don't think I wrote anything about yelling at people. Did I?
[EDIT] I think "using a computer" posture especially is the worst. Something about sitting upright at a desk or table using a computer is really weird. Like the person's body's subservient to the activity, while also being kind of absent from the whole thing. It's much worse than bending-neck-to-use-a-cellphone or slouching-on-couch-playing-console-games look.
The key seems to be catching a view of someone at a computer or in front of a TV or whatever but not also being able to see what's on the screen. It's chilling and creepy for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it is just the "zombie" factor, I dunno.