Why Invisibility is Power | Priceless Benefits of Being Invisible

In today’s society, an individual’s success seems increasingly synonymous with ‘relevance.’ How much attention do you draw to yourself? How much are people talking about you on social media? How much exposure do you have on Twitter? How many followers on TikTok? How relevant are you when it comes to receiving attention from the audience and being part of the public discourse?

Hence, this ‘relevance’ is what many people are after these days; they want their faces to dominate the online space, they want to show the world all facets of their lives, and they seek to be at the center of attention as much as possible. As a consequence, the world knows about all the great things they do, but also about the bad, and if, for some reason, they do or say something the audience doesn’t appreciate, they end up being scrutinized by thousands, if not millions, of people. Some might never recover from something they said or did, whereas if they hadn’t been so famous, they wouldn’t have been in this position of public disgrace.

Again, ‘relevance’ is today’s highly sought-after asset. Millions of people on social media are grinding, hoping the masses will notice them one day. For many, it’s a dream to be famous. It’s the ultimate validation. All the attention and admiration are like cocaine for the ego: addictive and highly pleasurable while it lasts. But what about its opposite? What if we reject ‘relevance,’ deny fame, and don’t pursue the attention of the masses?

In the ‘attention age,’ where attention is supposedly our most valuable commodity, remaining invisible and insignificant seems an act of blasphemy. What are we when no one sees us, talks about us, or ‘likes’ us on Instagram? The answer? We’re nobodies, mere irrelevant beings without any social value. But being invisible in such a way has many benefits, too. In fact, being invisible in itself holds tremendous power; it’s an advantage widely overlooked in today’s narcissistic world.

This video explores the priceless benefits of being invisible. Sauron’s One Ring grants its wearer the ultimate superpower: becoming invisible. Being invisible is a highly beneficial state to be in: it allows you to do things without people noticing, such as entering places you’re prohibited from entering or observing the environment without influencing it. Another benefit of invisibility is the privacy that comes with it; you can do whatever you like without worrying about anyone seeing you.

Although we cannot yet emulate the true invisibility that Frodo and Bilbo attain using the One Ring, there are ways of becoming less visible (or creating the illusion of invisibility) and using that to our advantage. An example is the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit (also known as the Stealth Bomber), a plane developed by the American military equipped with technology to bypass radar systems. So, its ability to be less visible allows the aircraft to intrude into areas without being detected, which is a major strategic advantage.

Another example is… octopuses, which can change color, camouflaging to fit their surroundings. This power of near-invisibility makes them less noticeable for both prey and predator. But let’s not forget the elephant in the room here, which is yours truly, running a YouTube channel without showing face, basically being an anonymous voice, to which more than two million people subscribed. Some say it’s cowardly not to show my face; others think it’s clever. It was a deliberate choice with both pros and cons.

The cons: My face is not famous, I don’t get recognized on the streets, and I’m probably coming across as more distant, not being visible, just audible. But those cons are pros as well. Even though no attractive female fans beg me for my phone number when I show myself in public, I’m content with being unknown. I value my privacy a lot. As a YouTuber, you already give so much away from yourself: your thinking, ideas, and creativity. Do you really need to expose more or, at least, more than you’re comfortable with?

Isn’t it reasonable to keep something for yourself, be it your appearance and identity? In today’s online world, I notice that some people feel entitled to know everything about the creator (or influencer) they follow; they demand total transparency in the face of thousands, sometimes millions, which, I think, is quite a lot to ask. Showing everything of yourself to the world makes you vulnerable. Who knows what people will do with that information? Who knows what people you invite into your private life?

I’ve chosen to remain anonymous. I think this method reaps the benefits of both worlds; I enjoy the fruits of my labor but also maintain the peace that comes with living in obscurity, regardless of how many followers I have online. To me, this situation grants freedom. Although my channel isn’t superfamous, my anonymity allows me to appear where I want without the burden of notability. And when I ever quit being the Einzelgänger, almost no one will have known it was me, just a handful of people. I’ll continue living low profile, enjoying the knowledge that, in the past, I’ve created something (at least slightly) meaningful.

Hopefully, the benefits of being invisible already become apparent, but let’s explore them further and also how we can ‘fly under the radar,’ so to speak. Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu once wrote down a simple lesson in humility: “Those who try to outshine others dim their own light.” An interpretation of this ancient piece of wisdom is that when you try to look better than others, you may actually harm your character and likability.

Also, generally, through behavior like flexing and bragging, you draw much attention to yourself, which places you in the public eye, which is all fun and games but also puts you in a pretty unsafe position. So, a slightly different interpretation would be that trying to outshine others makes you ‘weak’ in several ways, which could be detrimental to your well-being. Society increasingly revolves around being famous and ‘relevant.’

To some, it doesn’t even matter how vile you act; as long as you get your likes and views and people are talking about you, you’re making it. An environment like this creates narcissists, which are plenty these days, who all seek their supply of attention and admiration. But it’s pretty common to see such people fall gloriously when, for some reason, their audiences turn against them. Through their actions, they received fame, but through that fame, they became susceptible to disrepute, which could take the form of millions of people just despising you, attacking you on the internet, and sending you rotten fish in the mail.

Just look at the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard case and how the latter became one of the world’s most hated and reviled people. If she hadn’t been famous, she’d never have received this mass hatred: her deeds would have been invisible to most of the world. Hers would just have been an obscure case of domestic abuse, like many others. Not everyone ‘chooses’ to be famous, of course. Not all forms of fame entail conscious efforts to outshine others.

But we can’t deny that when you shine somewhere up there in the sky, you’re susceptible to the wind. It’s easy to fall. And when you fall, you fall hard and painfully. Yet, fame (or ‘relevance’) has become a heavily sought-after thing today. It has also become more accessible due to social media platforms. Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus categorized ‘fame’ as a vain desire. Fame never truly satisfies. There’s no natural limit to it, as opposed to hunger.

And if we’re honest with ourselves, do the benefits of fame really outweigh the disadvantages? What are the benefits of being seen by everyone? You’ll get attention from your desired gender (or genders). As people recognize you, you’ll get opportunities to shine ever brighter. You’ll gain respect and influence. So, broadly, the advantage of fame is fundamentally the perpetuation and propagation of fame itself.

Now, let’s look at the disadvantages of fame: disturbance of tranquility, loss of privacy, the attraction of stalkers, fake friends, and other people who intend to use you, and constantly being watched and judged. Also, the pursuit of fame is the pursuit of something vastly out of our control, dependent on the whims of the audience. The audience could turn against you in the blink of an eye, destroying the reputation you spent years of blood, sweat, and tears building.

According to Epicurus, fame is a highly unreliable, insatiable pleasure, challenging to acquire and maintain. Considering all these downsides, can’t we argue that being invisible is a blessing? So, within the Epicurean view, we find support for the ‘case for invisibility.’ Staying away from the public eye prevents us from the disadvantages of fame. It also allows us to find sources of contentment that are easier to acquire and maintain.

Among those sources, Epicurus counts enjoying a meal, meeting with friends, or simply enjoying the internal state of not wanting anything at all. None of these things require a million followers on TikTok or your face plastered over YouTube recommendations; none of these quick and easy portals to contentment command you to engage in the continual pursuit of so-called ‘relevance.’ Furthermore, such pursuits are just dark clouds blocking our sunlight.

In a world that values individualism and authenticity, many people want to ‘stand out,’ be it through their physical appearance or outspoken opinions. If you’ve been watching this channel, you probably know by now that I favor non-conformity. However, I believe that being non-conformist doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘notable;’ you don’t have to be an isolated island of specialness or ‘differentness’ to be ‘you.’

I’d say that ‘blending in’ could even reinforce one’s authenticity, as it just makes it easier to navigate this whole superficial realm of customs, habits, and outward characteristics, which leaves more time and energy to do you. I’ll explain. As I see it, as contradictory as this may sound, not fitting in doesn’t mean you can’t blend in. For me, ‘fitting in’ is a matter of deeper, essential concerns: things like ethics, morals, spirituality, purpose, and life goals.

‘Blending in’ corresponds with what I consider more superficial aspects of life, such as looks, how others perceive you, manners, and behaviors in interactions. Yes, I get it; it’s tempting to show authenticity through these external aspects: dressing differently, dyeing your hair green, or covering your face with tattoos. Sure, you’ll stand out. People will notice you. I don’t say there’s anything wrong with these things.

I think it’s brave how people dare to go against the grain through their appearance. However, the authenticity of appearing different from the rest is skin-deep. This doesn’t mean that, let’s say, someone with fifty piercings isn’t authentic on the inside. It’s just that who we are, authentically, goes deeper than outside appearances. A person with purple hair, his face covered in tattoos, vaping through his nose while wearing sandals in the winter, indeed, is a non-conformist on the outside.

But what does it say about the inside? His appearance may actually just be a means to gain attention on social media, making him another sheep in the relevance-seeking, narcissistic herd. On the other hand, beyond his deviant appearance, we could find someone living life on his own terms, thinking for himself, and his appearance is just an expression of that. What I’m trying to conceive here is that, in my opinion, living authentically doesn’t necessarily require people to be different regarding outward, superficial aspects.

Moreover, I’d argue that when you put too much emphasis on the superficial, the outward, you might go beyond what's on the inside, which, I think, truly counts. Blending in when it comes to trivial matters such as haircuts, clothes, and basic codes of conduct makes life so much easier. You won’t stand out. You won’t draw much attention to you. And that’s the beauty of it: You enjoy the benefit of not standing out in the herd while, at the same time, not being part of it, thinking how you want to think, believing what you want to believe, and pursuing what you want to pursue in your private sphere.

Blending in makes you invisible. You’re flying under the radar, appearing as one of them, but you know better. And because you don’t stand out, people won’t likely bother or challenge you; no one will suspect you actually don’t belong. So, what do you think about this? Do you agree? Is being invisible beneficial? Please let us know in the comment section. Thank you for watching.