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Hidden in Plain Sight | The Comfort of Torpor
Hidden in Plain Sight
Amanda Caleb, PhD, MPH
Editor-in-Chief
The idiom “hidden in plain sight” is thought to have originated in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Purloined Letter” (1844). In the short story, the Paris police attempt to recover a letter stolen from the queen by a political rival Minister D__. When their investigation stalls, they turn to detective C. Auguste Dupin, who finds the letter on the mantlepiece of Minister D__’s home and not in some obscure or remote location. This story reveals the limits of human perception in failing to see the obvious and the importance of observation. To be “hidden in plain sight” can be both a deliberate act by the hidden/hider (such as Minister D__ leaving the letter on the mantlepiece) or a failure to not just look but to see.
The expression “hidden in plain sight” is a paradox of perception: the idea that something can be both conspicuous and inconspicuous simultaneously. Something that is “hidden” would typically be associated with obscurity and invisibility, while the notion of being “in plain sight” suggests visibility and accessibility. Yet, this paradox forms the crux of the idiom’s meaning, inviting us to reflect on our perception of the world and why we overlooked what was right in front of us.
The idiom challenges us to explore the limits of our attention and the biases that shape our understanding of the world. The busyness of our lives may be barriers to seeing the obvious or in discerning the meaning of what we might otherwise pass over. The process of selective attention, influenced by an individual’s preconceived notions and values, can cause individuals to overlook what does not align with their existing mental frameworks. Social biases continue to shape sociopolitical priorities and the excuse of not seeing the suffering of others. Such biases can lead to policies of hiding populations in plain sight, ignoring or downplaying inequities.
The phrase “hidden in plain sight” underscores the concept that what we perceive is not always an objective representation of reality. Black Diamonds is a reminder that medicine is more than science, that stories are as important as lab results, and that observation requires moving outside our preconceived notions and expectations. The poems, stories, and photographs in this tenth issue of Black Diamonds remind us to be observant, to examine our world with a discerning eye, and to challenge our assumptions of what is and what should be.
Profound insights are often embedded within the ordinary, the familiar, and the overlooked that are hidden in plain sight. The editorial board of Black Diamonds invites you to step beyond the obvious, to engage with the subtle, and to step beyond the surface of the ordinary to uncover the extraordinary hidden in plain sight.
Provost
The prevailing way of coping with the sight of poverty is to ignore it, but it is tempting to look back once safely past.
