On this topic, I recommend Martin Jay’s essay, “Scopic Regimes of Modernity." "Scopic regime” was 1st coined by French film theorist Christian Metz, as a way to differentiate the experience of watching theatre vs cinema; Derek Gregory called it a "visual apprehension" invading culture generally.
Frank Pasquale“There is something eerie about being both the speaker and the watcher, performing one’s own identity for oneself, rather than simply living it. When we take on the roles of actor, audience and critic all at once, it’s going to cause some psychic strain.” www.nytimes.com/2026/07/31/o...