What your ‘home background’ says about you
Personal clues can be seen in the elements inside your private space
‘It is interesting to note how once private (and guarded) spaces have now become public, especially among work colleagues. Some even go the lengths of curating their space to project a certain image.’
There is a new “status symbol” in town and it’s not about the clothes you wear, the car you drive, or the gadgets you use. In this new normal era where virtual meetings become the norm (and a necessity for some) over Zoom or Google Meet, the background scenery of the room where you appear says a lot as it conveys subtle cues on your personality, taste, and preferences.
Like any meetings, eyes do not just focus on the agenda at hand. Wandering eyes look for things that will reveal the “true” you as you give a glimpse of what your personal space looks like. That little “window” allows people to arrive at some conclusions which may, or may not, be accurate. But most of the time, the little cues (i.e. a movie poster, a book title, or a painting) can reveal a lot of things, which experts can use to gain insights about you.
“Yes, it’s true. Pundits have even claimed that a wellstocked and elegant bookshelf is like having a tailored suit or a branded handbag pre-Covid era,” says Christian Tenang, a behavioral science expert who is also a human resources consultant. “It is interesting to note how once private (and guarded) spaces have now become public, especially among work colleagues. Some even go the lengths of ‘curating’ their space to project an image (like choosing a profile photo). It is image building.”
Tenang says this major shift was also seen in how celebrities were “demystified” as they sing, dance, or host in the comfort of their homes during the quarantine. Netizens analyzed all the tiny “clues” as seen in the choice of furniture, lighting, curtain, and even wallpaper—they even rated it via a Twitter page called “Room Rater,” which scores the home backgrounds of celebrities, athletes, news reporters, politicians, etc. from one to 10. No one was spared, even Andrē Leon
Talley’s space, which got a two out of 10 (“another puzzling room”), Morgan Free
man’s, which got a six out of 10 (“comfy chair”), to Yo-yo
Ma’s, 10 out of 10 (“this room arrangement is playing all the right strings”).
If in case you don’t want to open your home to strangers (and join the fun), just put a large green cloth behind your back. There are tons of virtual backgrounds to download.
So what does your “home background” say about you? If you have at least this one of these elements listed below, it may reveal something about you, according to Tenang.
Manila Bulletin Lifestyle has created this fun analysis for you to agree or disagree.