See-Thru

Some time back (this year) I read an article on anomalies that cause skin-transparency in animals. There are frogs, butterflies and others with see through skin. They look very different – almost alien just coz’ of the exposed interiors.

As you can see in the picture, the animal’s (frog) vestigial organs are on full display. You can see the beating heart, the curly intestine, the rosy pink life as it flows through the creature. And now, imagine a see-thru person!

Imagine what a see-thru person would look like. Pretty gross was my first reaction too but imagine how it would change the way we look at people. How our communication would require another level of sophistication. A beating heart on display (for fear, nervousness, and joy) cannot be easily masked with fake emotion on face. Of course there are gross things like affects of over-eating, infected organs etc. but, imagine the kind of life that would evolve. Masquerading wouldn't work when everything you feel is on full display. And think of the poor doctors if everyone could just use mirrors for MRI.

Imagine yourself as see-thru. How naked and yet liberating would you feel? How simple would things be? It would all be there, out in the open for everyone to see and no one would have to be afraid of the ‘unknown’. It is the unknown that scares us anyway. What you know can do a little harm.

Would it make us focus our energies on more meaningful stuff? When the insides are out would the outside matter? The ‘outside’ that we are so involved in. The 'outside' we use to judge. The skin, the color, the camouflage – with nothing hidden, would we change the way we look at people? It would be there for the world to see, so there’s nothing left for them to judge. A beautiful beating heart, a satisfied stomach, a calm mind – that’s what we would look for, strive for, live for. The differences would melt away with the veil because underneath it all we are all made of the same pink flesh and same crimson blood.

Think of the equality that see-thru would bring. And think how this cloak (skin – ironically whose function is to protect) prevents us from being so much more than we are capable of. The idea of skin is so ingrained in us that what’s really inside when showcased in its pure form, looks alien. It’s a pity that most of the time we cannot see beyond the visor. How I wish see-thru was possible for us!