Glancing and Gazing – Ways to See the World

Glancing vs Gazing - Watercolour pencil

In my last post, How to Tame a Rubber Duck, I mentioned that the ritual of taming requires you to glance at the object that you are taming. This is perhaps a foreign idea, if you are a full on extrovert. But for introvert like me, glancing is my primary way of interacting with the world.

Glancing is a way of seeing the world in slices. When you glance, your eyes flicker quickly over someone or something interesting, picking up just the barest, essential details. This style of looking creates a simple précis of character — highlights of colour or shape stick out while the rest of the object blends into simple caricature.

Gazing is quite a different approach. The gaze from an extrovert will be warm and inviting, sweeping over the whole person or thing without simplifying or objectifying. The primary purpose of the gaze is neither to gather information nor make a judgement. Rather, the purpose is simply to make a connection. A gazing extrovert has  a smile ready to be given or received.

The difference between glancing and gazing is clear – glancing is gathering information, gazing is creating a connection. But people can misinterpret both ways of looking. Glancing seems suspicious, sneaky, something that creates a sense of mistrust. Gazing however, can be mistaken for a stare – either an aggressive territorial glower, or a seductive, sexual advance.

To be able to use a glance or a gaze safely in public, you need to be comfortable in your own body first. Glancing and gazing suits different types of people. Introverts often feel more comfortable with a glance, because it reduces the amount of stimulation and information into manageable bites, yet still affords rich character studies to be gleaned. Gazing is often favoured by extroverts, hungry for the flood of sensation the world has to offer, and keen to draw energy of the strangers they gaze at.

But whichever style of seeing you are comfortable with, practice the other regularly as well. If you try gazing when you are normally glancing, you will have a chance to share a heartwarming smile with a stranger. If you try glancing when you are normally gaze, you will sharpen your ability to pick out what is important. Using either method helps you see the world with clarity.