The campfire scene ranks highly in the user views on Atmoph Window. Why do so many people choose the campfire scene from among so many other landscapes?
It’s not like the fire is real, so you can’t actually warm yourself by it. And you’re not always surrounded by friends, enjoying grilled meat together. If you were to ask someone who chose it, they’d probably say something like “because it’s relaxing” or “just because.”
So why do people feel like they can relax by watching a campfire, even though it’s just an image?
Maybe it’s because it brings back memories of a fun BBQ, or because the crackling sound and the flickering flames ease tension. There could be many reasons. However, at its core, the reason people like campfires may be because our ancestors who enjoyed them survived. In other words, it’s a product of our genes.
Wild animals fear fire. Early humans probably feared it too. But it was the humans who weren’t afraid of fire who could use it. And those humans were the ones who could keep warm, cook, and protect themselves from wild animals.
Those who felt safe and relaxed enough to sleep by the campfire were the ones who survived. This is how the gene that likes campfires was passed down.
People like ripe apples because they have a gene that makes them find them delicious. It’s not because we consciously prefer them for their nutritional value, and we don’t even know why they taste good. When apples are in the supermarket, we pick them without thinking. It’s the same with the campfire.
I’ve read a similar idea about campfires in a book. The act of gathering around a campfire to tell stories—whether about things to come, gossip, or myths—has also been passed down in our genes.
Making fire and hunting animals to cook required cooperation with others. Those who could form groups with others were the ones who survived. While campfire gatherings likely included boisterous moments like a feast, they also required relaxing stories since people would sleep by the fire. These stories were often imaginary tales.
Of course, this is just a hypothesis, but it’s true that even today, many people watch dramas or read books before going to sleep, engaging with imaginary stories before bed. This may be why we instinctively feel a certain charm from the campfire—a place where imagination can run wild.
Relaxation and romance.
I believe that this ancient memory creates an irresistible attraction, which is why the campfire scene is so often chosen. The simple, unpretentious Atmoph Window will likely help kindle that innocent longing.
