Reality Check

If you ask me, mirrors are a curse. People worry far too much about how they look to other people, and mirrors only exacerbate the problem. People generally are way easier on us than our mirror is, but the mirror never tells us that. Mirrors don't tell us how we look to other people--they tell us how we look to ourselves. A self-critical person looking in a mirror will always focus in on whatever flaws they perceive and magnify them to fit their insecurity level of the moment. Mirrors often give us confirmation of our worst fears, regardless of what they actually reflect. No matter how clear the image, our minds can find ways to distort it. Women, especially, are prone to twisted thinking about how we look, where every extra pound becomes ten, and every fine line becomes a Grand Canyon of wrinkles. We might as well be standing in front of a fun-house mirror most of the time. Women are experts at making the most out of our flaws.

So how about a mirror that does the same thing for you, only better? Would you like a mirror where you don't even have to apply any imagination to see yourself at your worst, one that magnifies your flaws for you? Well, there's apparently one coming--a mirror that aims to be completely honest with you about what you'll look like if you keep eating a pint of Haagen Dazs every night, or smoking three packs a day, or laying around watching reruns of Gilligan's Island. You see, this mirror is linked to cameras all over your house, that watch everything you're doing, and report back to the mirror, which extrapolates that info about your lifestyle choices to create images of the new and not-so-improved you.

Doesn't that sound fun? Photoshop finally has a real purpose--making you feel worse about yourself!! Supermarket magazine stands and television aren't enough. You need more reinforcement of your physical inadequacy. Now, to be fair, maybe your mirror friend will go the other route. Maybe it will see you trying and cut you some slack because its network of camera spies sees you hitting the treadmill a couple times a week. Maybe it will show you images that make you look toned and fit and absolutely fabulous, but I ask you, WHAT'S THE POINT!!? It isn't real!! Mirrors can't predict the future, no matter how many cameras there are inside your refrigerator. This "motivational tool" looks like it can only beat you up emotionally, or make promises you might not keep. Keep it far, far away from me, please. I usually love techno-gadgets, but this one definitely goes on my "not in a million years" list.

Hat tip: Futurismic