Thursday Entry - Persistence of Vision

Retinal retention of a bright image that is followed by darkness.

Though this term is mainly used to describe Max Wertheimer's discovery and its relation to film-making, I've been thinking about it a lot recently in conceptual terms, especially in congruence with religion. This started when I first took note of the frequency of incidents in which I'd have persistence of vision in the form of a crucifix; in my room in Alexandria, I have a crucifix hanging near my lamp, and when I'd turn off the light before going to sleep the image of the crucifix would stay behind my eyes. My room in Richmond is lit with Christmas lights and I have various religious iconography on my walls, so often when I close my eyes I'll be left with the vision of a crucifix or the Virgin Mary.

The definition itself is also relevant: the rention of a bright image followed by darkness brings mind a variety of religious metaphors. When I placed myself within the metaphor, what I considered most was was the idea of bright - the aspects of Catholicism I favored, such as the Golden Rule (and it being ingrained in my family, whom I adore), followed by darkness - the realization that I vehemently disagreed with the majority of the Catholic Church's teachings and the personal struggle that created.

A video on the persistence of vision