Do You Hate Being Watched?

When you know you're being watched so you act extra petty. :smile:

Being watched is annoying. If someone is going to watch me I might as well give them something to actually watch = put on a show.

I'm awkward.
 
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Yes, particularly if it's something academic and/or requires some degree of concentration.

I also have a very weird privacy pet peeve thing when it comes to my incomplete thoughts (guess I feel naked/very vulnerable when people can see my disorganized "works in progress").

Come to think of it I probably have some weird privacy quirks in general--- eh, I just like feeling totally safe/alone at times I suppose.
 
Aether said:
I also have a very weird privacy pet peeve thing when it comes to my incomplete thoughts (guess I feel naked/very vulnerable when people can see my disorganized "works in progress").
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Yes! I never thought of it in this exact way, but you've described something very aptly that applies to myself. I only like people to see the finished result. I used to loathe sharing my draft ideas in art class. In fact, I'd often make up an extra fake idea just so I could keep my little baby hidden in the womb of my mind.
 
Yes, I really dislike it as well. I especially hate being watched while working. Which is why I long for the days of cubicles. It's all open offices now, everyone can see everything you're doing. It can even impact my performance at work when I'm being watched. Recently I screwed up a job I'd normally have no trouble with due to being watched so intently. It wasn't anything important, but it annoyed me all the same that someone else had to step in to do a relatively simple job.

Now I may also have been hungover at the time, so that might have had a tiny impact on my performance. It was mostly the being watched thing though.
 
I refuse to be watched when I am home. I close my blinds and shut out the world. Even if I am just sitting and reading, it feels uncomfortable to know that someone can see me. The only way I can avoid being self-conscious is by knowing that nobody can see me or hear me. When I need privacy, I really need privacy. It is more psychological than practical. I think it is pretty typical for introverts, especially of the INFJ variety. I am not a natural born performer, narcissist, or exhibitionist. Plus staring is something I am very aware of others doing, especially when I am the object. I am oblivious to video cameras though. It is the human gaze that I can feel like the rays of the summer afternoon sun.
 
Jacobi said:
Which is why I long for the days of cubicles. It's all open offices now, everyone can see everything you're doing.
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Strictly open office space... I couldn't do it. Literally, I'd have to find somewhere else to work. I think it's very narrow minded of a work place to have a setting like that, and that alone. I feel for ya!

dang said:
It is the human gaze that I can feel like the rays of the summer afternoon sun.
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Oh yeah.
 
Night Owl said:
Strictly open office space... I couldn't do it. Literally, I'd have to find somewhere else to work. I think it's very narrow minded of a work place to have a setting like that, and that alone. I feel for ya!



Oh yeah.
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It can be very difficult in an open plan office, when you are always there to be interrupted by others. Also at times, when you have work to do, staff reports etc, that must be private. I am ok 'being watched' when I am training someone or similar, but in just ordinary working, then I really dislike it. Especially when someone is trying to 'interfere or micro manage'. I always want to say, either let me do it, my own way, or do it yourself lol.
 
Night Owl said:
Strictly open office space... I couldn't do it. Literally, I'd have to find somewhere else to work. I think it's very narrow minded of a work place to have a setting like that, and that alone. I feel for ya!



Oh yeah.
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I've had it worse that the current setup. In my last job I was right in the middle of this huge open office. Anyone passing by could see what I was doing. It didn't help that it was at a large corporation where they had this bullshit *openness is caring* mentality, and expected you to love the corporation like it was your child.

That place nearly caused me a nervous breakdown.
 
Sometimes I love it. I even subtlely manipulate people into watching. But it depends on who they are, for example romantic interest or friend or colleague or whatever. I don't like attention from strangers for the most part. If I already like them, they can stare to their heart's content ;)
 
Yes, I hate being watched. But what the watchers hate more is my looking back at them in surprise. :m024:
 
dang said:
I refuse to be watched when I am home. I close my blinds and shut out the world. Even if I am just sitting and reading, it feels uncomfortable to know that someone can see me. The only way I can avoid being self-conscious is by knowing that nobody can see me or hear me. When I need privacy, I really need privacy. It is more psychological than practical. I think it is pretty typical for introverts, especially of the INFJ variety.
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I close my blinds too. I enjoy being invisible most of the time, inside or outside. Visibility has energy, I like to observe this, but keep my distance if it's too discordant.
 
I work in a "fish bowl" sometimes people watch me but they are looking at what I am doing, I really do not believe i am catching anyone's eye.
 
Jacobi said:
That place nearly caused me a nervous breakdown.
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I could hardly imagine...

Jacobi said:
It didn't help that it was at a large corporation where they had this bullshit *openness is caring* mentality, and expected you to love the corporation like it was your child.
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Jacobi said:
I've had it worse that the current setup. In my last job I was right in the middle of this huge open office. Anyone passing by could see what I was doing. It didn't help that it was at a large corporation where they had this bullshit *openness is caring* mentality, and expected you to love the corporation like it was your child.

That place nearly caused me a nervous breakdown.
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An old workplace of mine had this saying '' Leave your life at the door '' which was all very good and catchy for the average animal on the farm, but I noticed that they wouldn't let us '' leave work at our doors '' we'd get phone calls and envelopes etc at all hours. Very invasive. Would constantly try and squeeze people into back-shifts straight on to early-shift, which would leave the workers getting around 5 hours sleep if they were lucky. highly illegal but they played on the fears of single mothers needing the money etc.

Anyways,

I personally cannot stand being watched. I prefer very limited to no contact with '' the outside '' if it can be helped. I get what I need and then retreat back into my sanctuary...When at work in the canteen I'd always opt for the quiet corner. If that's not an option then I'll go outside where the tables etc are... Being Scotland , people are reluctant to sit outside for the cold, which I don't mind. I really hate people watching me eat. Which is a nightmare during dating. I eat very very slowly. Or, I hit them with a big complicated question that would require deep thought or a long explanation then I'd scoff down as much as I could.
 
I'm watching all of you. Right now. Intently and intensely. And I'm wearing mirrored sunglasses so you can't see that I'm watching you. I could have my head turned to the right, you could be on the left, and my eyes could be slowly swivelling towards you while I keep my head turned to the right so you're none the wiser. o__o

mirror-sunglasses.webp
 
Night Owl said:
The thread @Gist started on Eye Contact helped provide the backdrop, and a comment from @Marnie the substance of the thread itself. So merci! I'd rather have started this thread in a day or so, to give room to the Eye Contact thread, but if I don't do it now, I'll forget.

I personally hate being watched. As a child I used to get so angry at my younger brother for staring at me, and he'd keep doing it because I made a deal of it lol. I like outside, but I'll close my curtains if it means stopping someone from watching me. I can't study if someone is looking at me. I need to be unwatched. I can feel people's gaze, and it makes me feel uncomfortable if they're peering in on me, or looking at me outside of the context of having a discussion. CTV cameras don't worry me too much, even though I'd prefer not being watched. For me it's really being watched in person, by another person. I think I may be the most adverse to 'being watched' out of all the people I've met - except perhaps certain characters I've met on the streets or in the ward.

Anyone hate being watched?
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I don't like being watched because it gives me a sense of pushy interruption.

Even if the person watching me has nothing but passive curiosity/interest, I get bugged by the desire to make the rationale for what I'm doing more evident (kind of like a compulsion to educate about the good reasons things are being done a particular way). This takes away my focus and enjoyment in what I'm doing, and inserts a self-imposed sense of responsibility that the person watching learn something of the insight behind my actions.
 
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