January 13, 2007

Two Thousand Yard Stare - #134


I keep seeing people in Dubai with a thousand yard stare going on.

A definition of the phrase "Thousand Yard Stare" : Corporal Joe Houle said he saw no emotion in the eyes of his new squad: "The look in their eyes was like the life was sucked out of them."

See also: In the movie Full Metal Jacket, there is an exchange between Marines Payback and greenhorn Stars and Stripes photographer Rafterman, on the eve of the Tet offensive where Payback explains about the thousand-yard stare that "a grunt gets it when he's been in the shit too long" and that "it's like you're really seeing beyond."

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6 comments:

Arabized said...

i've seen that stare before.

i always feel so bad.

Anonymous said...

I gave a presentation on the UAE yesterday in my Arabic class and mentioned your blog because it really isn't just pictures but each of your pictures tells a story, just like this one.

Unknown said...

I wonder if the guy in the photo was wondering if he could smuggle himself on one of the boats and escape back to reality.

Unknown said...

every now and then, i do the thousand yard stare as well. haha

DXBluey said...

Arabized - yup, agreed.

Anon - your comment scares and secretly thrills me. Thanks.

Gail's Man - could be...

Keropok - I hear ya!

Ms Lavender Lady - A very good question. I think lonelyness, desperation, futility, boredom, poverty and crushing racisim.

Either that or just another crappy day.

nmj said...

hey bluey, i like your photos, i just got back from a week's holiday in dubai, my friend lives there . . .