Asking for an image is a form of kindness to both you and the other person. It says, “I know you tried your best to explain, but let’s save us both from a headache.” It’s the polite way of saying, “Your words are lovely, but they’re currently building a house of cards in a windstorm.”
I once spent twenty minutes on the phone with my dad trying to describe the new lamp I wanted for my living room. I talked about “mid-century modern” and “warm brass.” He said, “Oh, like a spaceship?” I hung up and sent him a screenshot. His reply was a simple, “Oh! That’s what you meant.” Crisis averted.
Can You Show Me a Picture of a Nintendo Switch? - Playbite
Don’t feel bad about it. Embrace the lazy efficiency of the visual. When someone asks for directions, don’t say “turn left at the big tree.” Pull up a photo of the gas station with the wonky sign. You look like a genius.
When a Thousand Words Are Just… Heavy
There’s a famous saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” That’s cute, but it’s also wrong. A picture is worth exactly the number of words you didn’t have to say. It’s a weight off your tongue.
Think about explaining a haircut. “A bit shorter on the sides, but keep the length on top, like… a hedgehog but fancy.” The barber picks up scissors with a look of pure terror. Instead, you pull up a photo of that celebrity. Now he’s nodding. You’re both safe.
What Can You Show Me? « hl gibson, author
It’s the universal language that bypasses accents, bad phone connections, and simply forgetting the word for “doorknob.” It’s the international peace treaty of everyday communication.
