“Unveiling Emotion: How One Blind TikToker’s Unique Expressions Challenge Everything We Know About Feeling and Perception”
In a world where expressions speak louder than words, it’s easy to overlook that not everyone interprets them in the same way. Toby, a blind TikTok creator known as @blindtobes, invites us into his unique journey of emotional expression despite his visual impairment. He candidly reveals that while he could see somewhat as a child, a lack of clarity prevented him from truly recognizing facial expressions. Now, as he explores how to convey emotions like “shock” or “seduction,” he asks a thought-provoking question: Do blind people understand emotions as we do? Join Toby as he navigates this complex landscape, proving that emotions can transcend sight—sometimes with hilarious results. Curious about the struggles he faces and the heartfelt connections he makes? Dive into his story and be sure to LEARN MORE!
A blind man has shared a video on TikTok, explaining how those who suffer from visual impairment are able to demonstrate their emotions through facial expressions.
Toby – who goes by @blindtobes on TikTok – took to the video-sharing platform where he admitted that he never really recognised facial expressions when he was younger and therefore never learned them.
Toby explained he’d never learned facial expressions (Getty Stock Image)
He asked: “Do blind people understand what emotions are?
“When I was younger I had okay vision but my vision wasn’t good enough to recognise what facial expressions were.
“And subsequently, I never learned them. The only times I express myself now are when the emotions come naturally.
“So, let’s try some.”
Toby then goes on to try a number of different facial expressions, including ‘perplexed’, ‘shocked’ and ‘seductive’.
Toby tried a shocked facial expression (Getty Stock Image)
Toby explained that to create the expressions, he has to think of something that actually gives him the emotion.
For perplexed, he thought about mirrors, asking: “How are they so shiny?”
The lad then tried to create a facial expression to represent anger but admitted he ‘starts twitching’ instead.
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Toby did do a pretty impressive shocked face, however, it was after thinking about how a hippo can fit an entire car in its mouth.
And people were pretty shocked themselves, not realising how difficult it actually is to create a facial expression if you’ve never actually learned how to.
One person commented: “I’d never even thought that expressions would be difficult to interpret. 10/10 for seduction and shock haha.”
While another said: “I’m sorry I’m literally crying over the constipated angry face this is so relatable.”
And a third added: “I think your perplexed one was perfect.”
Toby regularly posts videos, documenting his experience of being blind and sharing the challenges he faces.
In one TikTok, he explained how to approach a blind person, saying: “If you’re going to help them the first thing to do is ask, ‘Do you need any help?’
“Because the amount of times I’ve just been grabbed and pulled across a road or pulled up some stairs or pulled off a train is ridiculous.
“So you need to ask someone if they need help first, don’t just assume, even if you’ve got good intentions.
“If you’re just going to approach to ask a question, it’s probably best to make it very clear that you’re talking to them.
“I do ignore a lot of people when they’re talking to me just because I don’t know they’re talking to me.
“Sometimes a gentle touch on the arm is OK, some people don’t like that.
“I think ultimately, as long as you treat someone who’s blind or has a visual impairment as a human being, as a normal person, then you’re not going to go wrong.”
