Each morning you’d wake, happily get out of bed, and walk into the bathroom to do nothing but relieve yourself. This would be followed by a shower, and as you stood in your bedroom afterward, dripping in front of four solid walls, you’d concentrate only on the things around you. You’d dress comfortably and brush your teeth in front of blank tiles or sheetrock. Then you’d go downstairs and make toast, staring into the dull toaster as it baked.
Afterwards you’d walk out to your car and, without pausing, would climb in and drive away. There would be nothing to adjust besides the seat. At work or school, bathroom breaks would be for going to the bathroom and not for vain punctuations. After work you’d stroll along a lake and, peering into the water, would see only fish and plants despite the brightness of the sky behind you. At night, you’d take turns with your significant other, describing again and again the one thing each cannot see.
In a world like this, cameras wouldn’t exist. Neither would video recorders or television or movies. The mall would become a dual mission. So would sunglass stores and haircut appointments. Sidewalk portrait artists would be a monthly indulgence at $75 a pop. Holding a cell phone in front of you, nothing would stare back save for a blank screen. Looking into the back of an iPod would reveal only a silvery surface. Self-absorption would be impossible. Vanity unimaginable. Happiness would be based on personal satisfaction. We would be more natural and less anxious. We would be healthier. We would love looking at our children more. We’d grow old without ever truly knowing what it was people saw all those years even though we were there the whole time. What we did in life would matter more than what we looked like while doing it. There would be more food stuck in our teeth without us knowing.
And it would be magnificent.
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