• Feeling isolated? You're not alone.

    Join 20,000+ people who understand exactly how your day went. Whether you're newly diagnosed, self-identified, or supporting someone you love – this is a space where you don't have to explain yourself.

    Join the Conversation → It's free, anonymous, and supportive.

    As a member, you'll get:

    • A community that actually gets it – no judgment, no explanations needed
    • Private forums for sensitive topics (hidden from search engines)
    • Real-time chat with others who share your experiences
    • Your own blog to document your journey

    You've found your people. Create your free account

The Perpetual Movie Night: A philosophical thinking experiment created at the grocery store

UberScout

UberScout

Please Don't Be Mad At Me 02/09/1996
V.I.P Member
My mother, sister and I were at TARGET the other day, and I grew a little bored walking around looking at stuff. When Sophia and I stacked back up with our mother, I near-instantly thought of an interesting philosophical situation, similarly to the "tree falling in the forest and no one there to hear it puzzle", it goes something like this:

Imagine you have a room with two couches and two televisions, both on opposite walls. Two people who are either friends or rivals -- it's up to you -- enter the room and sit across from each other. When both televisions are turned on, they are set to play the exact same movie, synchronizing up perfectly with each others timing. Both people are now instructed to simply watch the movie.

If you're having trouble getting a mental picture, what's happening is that both people are watching the same thing while also simultaneously facing each other, since both their respective mediums are where they can see it without having to modify their physical position to do so.

Here is the question: Are the two people watching the movie with each other, or are they watching each other watch the movie?

I am not responsible for any brain damage caused. Have fun!
 
Oh man. I didn't even think about that part.

I guess it really doesn't matter *what* movie is playing, but I never did say that it's restricted to one movie.

Unless the movie playing in question is Orwell's 1984.

Knobstack it.
 
They're watching the movie with each other. That's what they were instructed to do. It's not possible to watch another person and watch a movie at the same time.
 
Fino said:
Both!
Click to expand...
Yeah, agreed. For me it would be both – eyes darting from person to television. For some, it may be irresistible for the eyes to sometimes see the human and sometimes see the movie.

We would definitely be rivals, and we would be glaring at each other. The movie would be Happy Gilmore. :smilingimp:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Top Bottom