# I wear glasses ... only when I'm not wearing contacts. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 11, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104 "2011-06-11T12:44:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/1 "2011-06-11T12:44:41Z")
In the new Verizon ad, where the kid is quizzing the salesperson on the specs of the tablets his mother is thinking about buying, he ends with “Do you always wear glasses?” and the salesperson responds “Only when I’m not wearing contacts.” They raise eyebrows at each other, then the kid nods his approval. What is the significance of the glasses/contacts thing? Is is just that nerds are supposed to wear glasses, or is there some other reference there that I’m missing? [and for those who figure, hey, if I put this in the wrong forum, a mod can just move it … I mod both MPSIMS and Cafe Society and I have no freaking idea where to put it either.] ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/2 "2011-06-11T13:59:32Z")
Maybe it’s not his approval, maybe it’s “oh, ok, that makes sense”? And it points to the obsession with exactitude and completeness of many nerds and technophiles. I just bought an e-reader and when I was comparing specs it drove me up the wall that each brand gave different information: those who told you battery life did not mention weight, those who mentioned weight did not say whether USB ports were available… - half the reason I ended up with a Kindle is that they gave you _all the information_ damnit! I’ve seen kids ask “do you always wear glasses?” “yes” “wow, when you shower too?” (or “wow, when you’re in bed too?”). The answer in that ad doesn’t cover showering or sleeping, but it’s much more complete than a simple “yes”. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/3 "2011-06-11T14:41:38Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > What is the significance of the glasses/contacts thing? Is is just that nerds are supposed to wear glasses, or is there some other reference there that I’m missing? I don’t get it either. A part of me thinks its an in-joke from the writing process that got left in there by Verizon execs who didn’t want to admit they didn’t get it either. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/4 "2011-06-11T18:07:18Z")
Could it be a superhero thing? ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/5 "2011-06-11T18:35:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Is is just that nerds are supposed to wear glasses, or is there some other reference there that I’m missing? You’re not missing anything. The kid is checking the salesperson’s credibility. Because the salesperson is working in a store that specializes in commercial electronics, he’s expected to hew closely to the nerd stereotype. Only a nerd would know enough about electronics to be an effective and non-scammy salesperson. The kid wants to know if the salesperson is wearing glasses as an affect, trying to play the role that’s expected of him, or if he really has vision problems. The salesperson notes that the only time he’s not wearing glasses is when he’s wearing contacts, thus affirming his nerd credibility. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/6 "2011-06-11T22:44:09Z")
> [@Tarwater](#): > > The kid is checking the salesperson’s credibility. Because the salesperson is working in a store that specializes in commercial electronics, he’s expected to hew closely to the nerd stereotype. Only a nerd would know enough about electronics to be an effective and non-scammy salesperson. The kid wants to know if the salesperson is wearing glasses as an affect, trying to play the role that’s expected of him, or if he really has vision problems. The salesperson notes that the only time he’s not wearing glasses is when he’s wearing contacts, thus affirming his nerd credibility. That’s fucking lame. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/7 "2011-06-11T22:47:49Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > That’s fucking lame. You don’t approve of ferreting out the hipsters? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/8 "2011-06-11T23:41:16Z")
What I was wondering about that commercial was if the mother apologized to the salesguy after her kid walked away. His interrogation seemed awfully rude. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/9 "2011-06-12T00:59:59Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Maybe it’s not his approval, maybe it’s “oh, ok, that makes sense”? And it points to the obsession with exactitude and completeness of many nerds and technophiles. Thank you. I wondered about this too, and your answer makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/10 "2011-06-12T01:17:22Z")
I agree with Tarwater. The point is that the saleswoman might be wearing glasses that she doesn’t need just to look like a nerd. But by saying she wears contacts when she doesn’t wear glasses, she’s saying that she has real visual problems and is, by extension, not faking any other of her persona. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/11 "2011-06-12T06:08:25Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I agree with Tarwater. The point is that the saleswoman might be wearing glasses that she doesn’t need just to look like a nerd. But by saying she wears contacts when she doesn’t wear glasses, she’s saying that she has real visual problems and is, by extension, not faking any other of her persona. The salesperson was a guy. And I still think that’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/12 "2011-06-12T06:32:40Z")
The impression I got from the commercial is that not wearing glasses at all is fine, but wearing glasses you don’t need is not. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/13 "2011-06-12T06:47:10Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > The salesperson was a guy. And I still think that’s ridiculous. Maybe there’s more than one ad in the campaign because I think I’ve seen one with a saleswoman. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/14 "2011-06-14T08:42:05Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > The impression I got from the commercial is that not wearing glasses at all is fine, but wearing glasses you don’t need is not. Hence my hipster comment. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/15 "2011-06-14T17:57:43Z")
I thought the kid was just trying to trip up the salesperson with his rapid fire questioning. After reading this thread, I can only think “boy did I get that wrong”. ---
**Author:** ![Satellite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d26b3c/32.png) [@Satellite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/16 "2011-06-21T04:10:22Z")
Totally random question, but how can I find out who the actor is that plays the salesperson? ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/17 "2011-06-21T05:42:47Z")
Gah, I hate this commercial. I feel the lady should be apologizing to the salesman and embarrassed about her tool of a son. The worst kind of arrogance is nerd arrogance. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wear-glasses-only-when-im-not-wearing-contacts/585104/18 "2011-06-21T05:47:39Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > I thought the kid was just trying to trip up the salesperson with his rapid fire questioning. After reading this thread, I can only think “boy did I get that wrong”. You know, I thought the exact same thing about this commercial. I think some people WAY overthink commercials sometimes.