What makes people stare into fire....?

Question

I know I'm not the only one. I often will find myself staring aimlessly into the fire place when the fire is going. So do many of my friends, but nobody can answer why it's so hypnotic.
Any ideas?

.

Answer 1

your a pyro like me.

Answer 2

I took an Evolutionary Psychology class when I was in college and this exact topic came up. One theory is that when the first men and women to discover fire, they stare aimlessly into it because it is mesmerizing. Fire was vital to them because it kept them warm, it cooked their food, and it was new. It's the same way people can't stop staring at a car accident. It's odd. Fire was so important to the people's lives and it's genetic memory that even today, we stare at fire too,

Answer 3

If you do a little study on brainwave patterns, you will find that the range associated with hypnosis is typically alpha to theta range.

"In the 1940s researcher Gray Walter discovered that brainwave activity tends to mirror flickering light, particularly in the alpha and theta frequencies. This effect has become known as the |frequency-following effect.} A familiar example is the tendency to slip into a relaxed or dream-like state while gazing into a fire - the flicker rate of which happens to average in the alpha/theta range!"

- Excerpt from "A Brief Introduction to Light and Sound
by Richard Daab"

Answer 4

We stare into the fire and we feel the heat and seems to idle around the fire perhaps inwardly wanting to know how can this fire be. God is awesome and one link to show mankind that he can do all things. Now looking at the fire does seems to paralyze a person and we know it burns and we fear and can only put it out with water if not too intense.

Answer 5

A long time ago, our nomadic ancestors used the fire as meeting place and shared stories, teachings, and discused things. It brought comfort & heat, Safety from preditors, place to cook, and community together.

I think we star in fire, becuase we see & hear our ancent ancestors in it. We feel like them deep inside of our own modern selves and still have caraturistics that they had. Countless generations experienced the same sinarios of being around fire, makes me think that it is has been built into our genes or instinkts to naturally be attracted to fire.

Answer 6

When I stare at fire I think of eternity. I don't mean too it just kinda creeps through my head as I stare it. I can totally relate to how you are feeling. Fire is just one of those beautiful things in life we can't help admiring like Snowy Mountains or really beautiful flowers. Staring into a fire calms most people. I think when we stare at it, we feel a sense of security, and we just kind of slip away.

Answer 7

I stare into the fire too. I don't know why, but it seems to be a relaxing form of exercise. Let's your mind just wander and settle into a more sedate feeling of euphoria or something.

Hypnotic? Yeah, a little, maybe. But love a campfire.

Answer 8

your eyes watch the constantly changing colors and patterns while your brain is free to wander so you think about other things not that your staring at a fire.

Answer 9

Same thing as a fishtank or a lava lamp, one of those electricity lightning globe thingies, etc. Your eyes are drawn to things that have chaotic, continuous movement.

Answer 10

This is just my oppinion, but I think it is because flame is a source of both life and death. Life because it give heat which keeps us warm or cooks our food. Death because it consumes the whatever it touches.

Answer 11

It's hell beckoning us calling "I will see you soon" LOL Really cause it's cool and ever changing and dreamy.