Why do we hate photos of ourselves

 by Robert T. Gonzalez
 
 You know what I'm talking about. There you are, clicking through your friend's Facebook album, when suddenly you happen upon a picture of yourself — or rather, a slightly less attractive version of yourself. The "real" you appears to have been abducted, replaced with some second-rate knock off. What gives? you ask yourself. Is that really what I look like?
Yes. Yes it is. But don't worry, there's a perfectly sound explanation for why the person staring back at you looks so very unfamiliar, even though that person is, well, you. And by the way: that funny-looking, ersatz-you in the photograph? They're actually more attractive than you think.
It's mirrors, by the way. The answer to why you hate seeing photos of yourself? It's mirrors. I'm telling you this because it is perhaps the least interesting part of the explanation for why you think the you that exists in photographs is so weird-looking. Some of you have probably even heard this explanation given before; just a few hours ago, EDW Lynch over at Laughing Squid posted a video of photographer Duncan David giving a short TED talk on how "perception, mirrors and the uncanny valley make us hate photos of ourselves." We've posted the video below, but here are the meat and potatoes: READ MORE