Who knows if anyone remembers, but back in 2015, the global internet community had a fierce debate surrounding a dress nicknamed BradTheLadLong, centered around the question: what color is the dress, blue-black or white-gold?
However, that was a story from 5 years ago, and anyway, the color of that dress has been confirmed (it’s blue-black). Recently, the online community has ignited another debate, this time over the color of a pair of sneakers.
In fact, this sneaker first appeared in 2017, and recently it has divided internet users into two camps. It’s a sneaker from Vans, and the reason is similar: what color is the sneaker below?
What color do you see it as? Don’t rush to answer, as this sneaker is dividing internet users into two factions.
One side claims it’s gray-blue, while the other insists it’s pink with white accents and laces. Clearly, the colors are different, and it’s puzzling how everyone sees it differently. Thus, the debate continues.
Why does each person see it differently?
According to Wally Thoreson, a professor of visual science at the University of Nebraska (USA), our brains perceive the colors of an object differently due to various factors.
First, it’s the lighting around the object. Thoreson states that those who see pink-white perceive the background light as blue, while those who see gray-blue perceive the background light as white. Secondly, the color of the hand holding the sneaker also influences color perception. Finally, some people automatically assume that the laces must be white, which alters their perception.
In reality, the difference in color perception among individuals is not uncommon. For instance, Thoreson himself sees his wife’s shirt as orange, but she insists it’s red. It’s just that this sneaker has caused a bigger controversy.
“The brain rarely sees colors in between. It usually has to choose one of two, and because the brain’s choices differ, many people are surprised by the things they see that others cannot.”
So ultimately, what color is the sneaker?
According to a small survey on BuzzFeed, 87% of users chose it as gray-blue. However, upon investigation, Vans does not have any gray-blue sneakers (at least not commercially available), while they have plenty of pink-white ones.
If that’s the case, could it be that the minority group is correct – the sneakers are pink-white? Hold on! In another development, Vans customer service shared in 2017 that the company has a policy that allows customers to choose color changes on their sneakers (of course, for an additional charge). So who knows, perhaps the sneakers in the image belong to someone who prefers gray-blue?
The Truth: The Colors You See Determine Whether You Are Left-Brained or Right-Brained
Alongside the color debate, internet users have also spread some surprising information: the color you see from these sneakers will determine which side of your brain is dominant. Specifically, if you see pink-white, your right brain is superior. Conversely, those with a more developed left brain will see gray-blue.
It could be, but the issue is that our brains don’t work that way. In reality, the brain has a part called the “corpus callosum” – a bundle of nerves connecting the left and right hemispheres. This structure allows both hemispheres to function simultaneously, and in most cases, both will operate at a frequency of 100%, rather than favoring one side as we mistakenly believe.
So no matter what color you see the sneakers as, it doesn’t mean anything.
Sources: Buzz Feed, WWD, BBC