Best HFY Reddit Stories: Stay Back When Their Eyes Go Dim (r/HFY)

An instinctual solution!
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#hfy #Greentext #awesome #space #spaceorcs #/tg/ #greentexts #4chan

[@chrisdufresne9359]

So the Yeerk forgot how to properly blend in with their targeted populations. Humanity has a lot of experience where parasites are concerned. We are quite effective at detecting them. Also, praise be unto the Uncanny Valley.

[@colinsmith1495]

There's a theory that the Uncanny Valley effect is an over-statement of a subtle sense we have to detect sociopaths. Sociopaths don't form emotional connections with other humans, and so social interactions are a consciously studied, practiced, and performed behavior, rather than a natural one. Some people with fine enough senses for micro-reactions and the like can just 'tell' if a person is a sociopath. They say they feel 'creepy', 'like a predator', or 'soul-less'. Similar reactions to the Uncanny Valley, but that's dialed up to 1000X, so everyone can detect it easily. Presumably the other species don't have such complex and nuanced subtle social cues, and so they can't tell so clearly, or maybe just don't have the innate sense to detect that something's off. Humans, on the other hand, are fine-tuned to sense that kind of thing, and so we see a human who's not blinking enough, who's using a long gait when walking calmly, who's sweating a little when it's cold, not flush when it's hot, not worried or subtly panicked when everyone else around them is, and we can just.... tell.

[@jmoneyjoshkinion4576]

The reason why the Yeerks were able to be unnoticed, and these could, was the Yeerk didn't damage and replace the brain, just coated and controlled it. These creatures apparently replace parts of the brain to infect humans, not relying on there instincts, emotions, and memories to pass off as a regular human. Only when the Yeerks had taken over one of the group, and had either over reacted to Ax, or were suspected to be infected, were they starved of (autocorrect don't kill me) Kadronna rays in 3 days.

[@TheDurid1]

Another theory of the uncanny Valley effect is an instinct we developed when we homo erectus evolved into homo sapiens Neanderthal and homo sapiens sapiens. There was a period were both existed at once, and we got an instinct to recognize who wasn't our branch of evolution.

[@warlockghovat5745]

Yeerks. Now that is a word I have not seen in a while.

[@nightrunnerxm393]

Ehh...less Yeerk, more Vord Taker. Yeerks have access to the Controller's entire memory, being tied into the entire brain the way they are. These things seem to just...replace part or all of of the brain the way a Vord Taker would.

[@MaitlandJones]

The fact that we have a sense for when something looks human, but isn't...

[@evernewb2073]

we're a species with a great deal of physical diversity between members and up until not all that long ago there were a bunch of fairly similar species walking around, intelligent sapient ones even. modern humans are mixes of a few of them actually, both significantly different strains like your classic well known example of neanderthals and more mild local diversification of populations that got isolated in a new environment until the next big climate shift rolled in a couple hundred thousand years later and they started running into the populations of other regions again and found they all looked and acted more than a little strange to eachother, and I don't just mean culture shock.

[@jameson1239]

When we were evolving Homo neanderthalensis was still around

[@MaitlandJones]

@@jameson1239 True, as well as other hominid species.

[@falconcorban4128]

Parasite just can't jump the hurdle that is the uncanny Valley effect XD.

[@redeye3869]

Uncanny Valley, protecting us from other humans, shapeshifters, and fae since our beginning.

[@onerxowns2202]

Eyes, can indicate and tell so much, we usually never consider it. You can tell if people healthy or not, well slept or not, tired or not, under drugs or drunk, calm or about to rage, sane or insane, how good or bad eyesight and many-many more. Professonals can tell so much about somebody just with one Look in Eyes so much even before touching them once.

[@453tye65e65e65e65]

Ya and professionals always ask me if I hit my head because one pupil is bigger than the other.

[@3PercentNeanderhal]

Situational awareness and avoidance always comes first. Secondly, focus on nothing and everything and watch for movement. Number three, the load up 99% of the time comes from the waist up….unless he channes Bruce Lee of course .And lastly make sure you have the open handed skills and ground game to win. Oh and get range time and practice that draw just in case it goes completely south.

[@lpsjewel]

This. About two years ago I had an encounter with some dude who was higher then a kite on Mt. Everest. It’s currently one of my weirder stories.

[@Nempo13]

@@lpsjewel On Everest? Prolly had elevation high. Certain conditions can make someone act high or drunk at higher elevations, and for some reason they always act like a violent version of either one.

[@calsifer666]

Human: (Explains how they can tell, how something just seems off about them) Me: "Oh great, uncanny valley stuff. An absolute nightmare for me."

[@leechowning2712]

Unfortunately for those of us with certain brain formations, it is so much more challenging. The amount of years we have to learn how people expect us to react.

[@jtilton5]

I saw a window into her soul. And I saw the home was vacant.

[@bogustoast22none25]

And filled it with lead.

[@koathekid8255]

@@bogustoast22none25 AMERICA!!! FUCK YEAH

[@LezlyLikesYuri]

Humans are build to recognize patterns. We see it in every aspect of our lives. We live it and are consumed by it. Something breaking that patter is very, VERY noticable

[@ianharrison5758]

I’m autistic so my pattern recognition is on a different level, I immediately know when something’s off subconsciously bc damn near everything fits in a pattern

[@falconcorban4128]

​@@ianharrison5758 Uncanny Valley effect, something for all intents and purposes looks acts/ sounds like human, but there's something just not right and that will set off alarm bells instinctively in any human and even some animals. It's why hyper realistic robots/ animatronics will give us the creeps, while a bobble head or Funco Pop will be consider cute. ADD: The uncanny Valley effect can also pertain to voice as well.

[@josharmstrong8813]

Just goes to show it maybe a good thing that we have that psychological twitch called the uncanny valley that tells us something is trying to imitate a person but isn't doing a good job Works very well with dealing with body snatcher style parasites To this day slightly worrying that we evolved that since that must have been for a pretty good reason

[@Arthur09608]

Isn't doing a good job, or doing the job Too well....

[@josharmstrong8813]

@@Arthur09608 both ironically Human brain either notices something was not human doing human like things or something that appears human but most certainly isn't

[@seanbissett-powell5916]

Maybe it's because it's only for the last 40,000 years or so that we've been alone. Before then, we shared the planet with a whole bunch of other hominid species - some very different, others nearly-men. Some were very close to homo sapiens sapiens in appearance. Telling the difference could have been important, and the clues might have been almost imperceptible; spotting slight differences in appearance, behaviour or culture could have been essential for survival.

[@colinsmith1495]

It's most likely a fine-tuned sense for sociopaths, though not everyone has it fine enough for that. They're humans, biologically, who are essentially pretending to be humans, socially. They literally observe other humans from a young age, realize something's missing, and 'mimic' the regular humans to fit in, but it's conscious. They practice smiling and the like to get it right. They have to think about what social cues have come up and how to react. That makes them very smooth operators if no one catches on, but if someone notices that their reactions are a split-second short, or just a hair too extreme or too subtle, and that it's consistently so, it creeps them the hell out.

[@Nyghtking]

@@seanbissett-powell5916 It's also pretty possible the uncanny valley effect is simply a side effect, as humans have evolved to be able to recognize human features and be able to tell emotions based on those features and how the person is either voluntary or involuntarily adjusting them, this results in people picking up things in the environment that never intended to look human but that our brains register as human like features. So when we actually do come in contact with something designed to look human but isn't our brains are really good at spotting those things that are just slightly off, and the closer it is to looking human the stronger the feeling.

[@chrishamilton7516]

Hey hey there. Thanks a bunch for posting my story here friend! Turned out great!

[@biggsdarklighter0473]

It´s a good story, though I doubt any human can reach that level of accuracy.

[@commissarlugh1040]

Thanks for writing them!

[@shadowtrickster5117]

Congrats

[@KungfooBucket]

@@biggsdarklighter0473 That's why non-lethal wound is a good plan... just in case.

[@blackpyro91]

Thanks for writing a story about what makes HFY great. Just little aspects about us that might be unique to a wider galaxy

[@Renovartio]

Now that I can see. Part of the uncanny valley most likely. Our minds naturally look for this stuff for some reason. Really like this one.

[@angrydragonslayer]

"for some reason"....thinking a bit too long on this one isnt good for your mental health

[@Verboten_Joey]

Could be a xenophobic instinct, to identify and distrust other human species, such as the Neanderthal or Denisovan.

[@Renovartio]

@@Verboten_Joey to that i say almost every culture has a "doppelganger" myth

[@omargoodman2999]

@@Verboten_Joey It mainly helps protect against illness. For a person who is sick, but isn't showing _clear_ signs (sores, rash, vomiting, etc.) noticing the very subtle signs can cause you to unconsciously keep your distance from a _potentially_ sick person. Sure, it would often be a false alarm and you'd probably end up ostracizing perfectly healthy people unlucky enough to naturally look slightly off, but if it keeps you alive and healthy, then it's a useful trait that gets passed along; those who don't have it need to be continually lucky enough to not give hugs to actually sick people while they're busy being all accepting of subtle freaks in order to pass on the "I like you just the way you are" gene.

[@jkbscopes1233]

guess the human mind's uncanney valley effect saved our asses

[@mlgfails2727]

I like the concept a lot of potential here for a universe to be built off

[@jankubiak3218]

Oh definitely.

[@anathardayaldar]

This is why I avoid parties. The others can tell that I don't belong.

[@eleklovatka7666]

Made me remember on that quote from Jack O'neal, when he was locked up and constantly killed/revived by one of the Goa'uld overlords and Daniel (ascended) came to visit him. "Though a candle burns in my house, there is nobody home."

[@GentlemanBystander]

See! The "Uncanny Valley" really is a human defense mechanism!

[@arfbark3924]

Ah yes, the uncanny valley response. Our greatest asset.

[@ironwolfF1]

As I was taught years ago by a combat veteran...'sometimes what you _don't see_ is more important than what you _do_ see.' P.S. -- pattern recognition will save your ass...it's just a matter hearing, then actually listening to quiet voice in your head.

[@UmarWazir]

Has been said before, but the mere existence of the 'uncanny valley' as a evolutionary response to things similar but not quite human is worrying. What was going on in and before the last ice age? We know we had other hominids about. We likely got along with some: certainly boinked Neanderthal and Denisovans, hence the persistance of their patrimony in our genome. Were there others? More cunning, more malicious? This could be a very deep rabbit hole for a sci-fi IP to explore.

[@calvingreene90]

Uncanny valley for the win.

[@guardianangel7589]

Humans know humans, and if you smell off, our brains set off warnings.

[@dirdydan]

I think the eye thing is ours are continually focusing on every little detail and people can pick up on the iris moving. If the husks are forging the small stuff they would probably only focus on one thing at a time meaning to slight movement in the iris

[@eliandervalderen5849]

I think I heard this one before but it's still an excellent story

[@JTruong3rd]

Humans are very social creatures we always were like that, and if theres a slight bit off we can pick it up due to that funny feeling. Also called uncanny valley.

[@alwelle3902]

Uncanny valley. And humans beat scanners a LOT even now. TSA uses back scanning radar. Israel uses people asking travelers questions. TSA has a failure rate that makes people cry. Israel has a virtually zero failure rate.

[@lloydkeith3061]

Uncanny valley is not a place xeno's should try to go. Hahaha

[@gabrielsfilms2086]

we totaly have a movie like this... lol we can prepare-

[@lumberluc]

Life Pulse. Once people master that, they can detect hostile intentions from a good distance. Every human is equiped with it, and certain fractions hate it.

[@insertnamehere9835]

Bro hit her with the look from "perasite"

[@hauntedmedic373]

This needs a part 2

[@salazengrum6265]

Look into the eyes and see no soul = The lights are on but nobody is home

[@aidreinhorn1534]

so the nurax worm made it to space.

[@Mojo_3.14]

The plot hole is this kinda only works on infected humans. How would the human solders be so familiar with xeno norms to even notice the irregularities in them? As the alien pointed out the solders where totally lax when they went through customs, relying completely on human instincts of recognition of other humans.

[@BeeKisses]

Ah yes, this is when Tiverton gets wiped off the map

[@victortahlor4038]

Thank you for the reading

[@halogeek6]

So humans are space prcs becuase we are the only ones that have a concept of uncanny vally.

[@allenmorgan1007]

For the Algorithm, For the Author(s), For the Disembodied Voice!

[@theaureliasys6362]

Ahhh... If only. *looks at current situation* Yeah. No. Humanity wouldn't be taking that serious.

[@zbijacz07muly]

Worms are like drink drives on police pullover. Try act too normal, siting without pants.

[@milohobo9186]

The mystery of the uncanny valley

[@randomguy3080]

Some men can tell when a woman is pregnant before the woman can, some woman can tell when a man is hitting his wife even when nothing looks wrong, so I’m not surprised we could see these things

[@NathanBChampine]

The uncanny valley strikes again.

[@captainfraser3827]

oh my god its among us worms

[@macpurdy]

For the algorithm and the narrator.

[@purpledevilr7463]

As someone with Autism. I could not be a border guard in this situation.

[@travistirey8579]

On the plus side the parasites may think you are one of their homies.

[@ZM1306]

The uncanny valley seriously points me into a direction of looking for shapeshifter like things in our history... Maybe for finding angels and demons amongst us. The idea that it was because of Neanderthals and other very close relitives is bunk to me. Because if they were such a threat to have the uncanny vally so geneticly built in we would not have intermixed enough to be so largely related. Plus for it to be so well built in implies that it is much older than that as well.... it is on the level of impulsive fear of snakes, very ancient responce built in before the part of the brain that gives us our current level of awarness. Our very body responds before we are aware of why.

[@fidomf7922]

What happens if the person had sipa and just didn't feel pain

[@tekhara]

So, what he is saying is that Humanity has too much experience with uncanny valley for our hindbrain not to react. Seems legit.

[@eris902]

The uncanny valley is a bitch sometimes Try again later body snatchers

[@WiredTurkey316]

For the algorithm

[@gunilive781]

the advantage of evolving amonst other human species

[@julesmasseffectmusic]

Uncanny valley, shame we no longer rely on our sense to detect sociopaths and kick them from the tribe. Now they run corporations and governments. We messed up with agriculture, we should never have let it create wealth.

[@toob1979]

The uncanny valley is the savior of the human race.

[@Shythalia]

So, like doppelgangers.

[@daviddragonheart6798]

No, it hijacks the brain of someone. They dont MAKE a copy of someone, they just take the body of someone and move their body for their own purposes. Like a Half Life Headcrab, basically

[@Shythalia]

@@daviddragonheart6798 Oh, must have misheard.

[@dorfrez]

I wish I had looked more closely before I married her (it)

[@gregslingland3576]

The affect of the husks reads uncomfortably close to that of some autistic people.

[@aussieginger1960]

True. however, autistic people will scream if you stab them.

[@Bdady74]

Algorithm appeasement comment!

[@lukkaredwolf3534]

Genestealers?

[@00.28.]

Basically