When someone has something on their face, what side of your face do you point to?

[Knight of Cydonia]

Let's say a friend has something on their face and you want to let them know. You're standing face-to-face (not side-by-side).

 

Do you point to the side of your face it would be on if you were them (rotational symmetry), or like a mirror (reflective symmetry)?

 

I do the former, but almost every person I've talked to so far has assumed the latter.

[Morays]

I think I must do it analogously, because it always invariably results in the other person going for the wrong side first.

[VeryAsexyIndeed]

5 minutes ago, SocialMorays said:

I think I must do it analogously, because it always invariably results in the other person going for the wrong side first.

Sometimes I do it analogously and sometimes like a mirror, but somehow they always go

for the wrong side first, idk how they do it, especially my brother, I have to literally poke his face sometimes

[A User]

I don't understand this question, i simply point to where the thing is on their face

i don't point anywhere else

[quadfasciata]

Depends who, certain people I know understand mirroring better, some rotation, but for people I don't know so well I'd just describe where it is, and/or point.

[Acerna]

I do all 3, sometimes with verbal description of where, especially if they’re not doing it I’ll give each option a try lol

[Anthracite_Impreza]

Um, where it would be on theirs, but that usually takes me so long to figure out I just end up verbally directing anyway.

[RoseGoesToYale]

I'd point to their face and tell them where whatever it is is.

[Grumpy Alien]

I point to their face. The only time I don’t is if we’re in public and I think they’d be embarrassed. Then I’m more discrete and touch my face exactly where the thing is on their face while saying “your right cheek” or whatever

[GingerRose]

I point to my elbow.

[daveb]

First choice for me would usually be to tell them verbally (like, "you have something on your right cheek" or whatever the case may be). If I couldn't do that for some reason I guess I'd point to the same location on my face.

[Grey-Ace Ventura]

I have serious trouble with my own left and right, so figuring that out and then figuring it out on the other person's face would just be insanity. I point with reflective symmetry and usually they go to the correct side

[Guest]

I just lick it off, like a cat

[Knight of Cydonia]

So pointing at the other person is the most common answer so far; interesting!

 

Pointing to the other person's face might be less ambiguous, but I'd think it would be way less accurate if you're a more than a certain distance away. 

 

Also I kind of feel uncomfortable pointing at someone else; I'd rather point at myself.

[Acerna]

28 minutes ago, kyon. said:

I just lick it off, like a cat

Even if it’s a family member

[RacheI]

Most of the people I've done this for seem to respond better to mirrored, so I use that. Analogous makes more sense to me though.

 

Unless it's a closer friend. They can keep that on their face for the next week.

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, Acerna said:

Even if it’s a family member

It depends which ones. Some of them, I just wouldn't tell them it was there and I'd let them walk around looking silly.

[Skycaptain]

None, I'd tell them exactly where it is, so they're not rubbing the wrong side

[Guest]

I'd point to it on their face, it's more unambiguous and helpful that way, or better yet I just point and laugh. Two birds, one stone.

[everywhere and nowhere]

Why should I point if I can say? It's much simpler: for example "Hey, you have some remainder of the cake on your right cheek".

[spooky_moss]

I'd never consciously thought about it before, but I do the analogous (rotational symmetry) way. People usually check the wrong side of their face first though. Maybe I should try the other way!

[Raindrops]

I point at their face, usually also offer to remove said thing. 😗

[Elevn]

i do all three because the other person always rubs the wrong side first, then missing it entirely even if they have the right side. XD

[iff]

@Knight of Cydonia

 

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