Time to face the camera

Image via pxhere

If you’ve ever cracked a mirror, you’ve probably been quickly reminded of an old phrase: “Seven years bad luck.” 

The superstition of a broken mirror bringing ill fortune is believed to Greek and Roman civilisations. Human reflection in water or on a mirrored surface was otherworldly; a gateway into our souls. 

In the 19th and 20th century, some cultures were suspicious of camera technology, fearing it would steal their spirit. 

I don’t quite have the same reasoning, but fear of the camera is something I can relate to.  

Web camera shyness came up during the week, as part of a guest lecture on our e-learning theories and practices module given by Rachael Heweston and Gráinne Hogan from SAP, the enterprise resource planning software company   

There was plenty to learn, and there were useful tips on working in the virtual environment. 

“Stay visible... keep those lines of communication open with your team...” 

And then some advice about the camera. “Switch on your webcam as often as you can, even if you’re having a bad hair day... it creates a good rapport with colleagues.”

 

Image via Mohamed Hassan/pxhere

Now, the bad hair day, I know very little about, since I started shaving my head more than 20 years ago (it’s surprisingly cathartic), and these days you’d likely find more follicles on a football. Bad head day, maybe, bad hair day only in my dreams! 

But the sentiment, I know all about. When we put on a camera, it can raise our anxieties, make us act unnaturally. We fear it exposes our vulnerabilities.  

Nevertheless, Rachael’s advice makes so much sense. In 2021, as part of a Workplace Issues in Technical and Professional Communication module, we looked at the importance of body language. So much is said, without ever saying a word. Non-verbal communication can be equally as important as verbal communication. 

Today’s fears about turning on our camera are less a mirror into our soul, than a mirror into our lives. By turning our camera on, we are not just fearful of how we ourselves look. We are also fearful of giving more away about our lives. 

I’ve been trying to use my camera more. I’m not worried about the bad hair day, although I am aware of my background environment when using the webcam. This is less about the ‘bad hair day’ phenomenon but more about avoiding external distractions when working. 

My aim now is to respect the camera, not fear it.