As a kid, whenever someone asked me, “If you could have one superpower, what would it be?” I always gave one of these four answers:
1. To be able to fly
2. To teleport
3. To read minds
4. To be invisible
Today, I want to focus on the last one… invisibility.
At first glance, being invisible seems amazing. You could sneak into cinemas and watch movies for free, hear secrets, avoid awkward situations… do whatever you want without anyone knowing.
Total freedom, right?
Even if no one could see us, I think most of us would hesitate.
Why? Because being invisible is out of the norm. It’s something new, something unnatural, something that could get us into trouble. Even without eyes on us, we’re still aware of rules, consequences, and social expectations. Our brains are wired to anticipate judgment, punishment, or at least embarrassment even if no one is actually watching.
Imagine you had one day of invisibility. Would you finally do all the “bad” things you’ve ever thought about? Honestly, I don’t think so. Not because we’re good, not because we care about rules, but because acting outside the norm is scary. Our instincts tell us to stay safe, even when there isn’t a clear threat.
I remember a bunch of games where there were “no rules". Sure, in a game, it was exciting. You could hide, chase others, or just survive. But real life? Total chaos.
It’s easy to joke at stories of crimes or dangerous situations online, but someone always suffered. Someone had to plan it, think through the consequences, endure it. And while we watch it as entertainment, the reality is far harsher than a game or a simple “true crime” podcast.
Being invisible might remove the fear of being caught, but it doesn’t erase our internalized caution. Even with complete freedom, most people would hesitate. We worry about mistakes we haven’t made yet, anticipate punishment that doesn’t exist, and feel the weight of morality even if it’s invisible.
I mean, come on...have you never done something cringy when you thought you were alone, only to feel embarrassed immediately afterward? Checked the windows, the house, behind doors, just to make sure no one was watching?
Even if we were given multiple signs that we were truly invisible, I’m sure all of us would second-guess it and spend the day in constant paranoia that someone might be onto us.
So if I were invisible for a day, would I be brave? Or would I just be bored? I suspect boredom might win. The thrill of secrecy fades when your own mind keeps you in check. Maybe invisibility wouldn’t set us free. it would just reveal how much we doubt freedom when it’s actually given to us.