The image shows a wall-mounted Dyson Airblade hand dryer, a common sight in many public restrooms. This hand dryer has an unconventional design, where one inserts their hands into a narrow slot and pulls them slowly upward, allowing for an efficient and quick method of hand drying through a strong blade of air.
What makes this particular image amusing is the presence of a quirky and unconventional drawing. A green circle has been drawn around a portion of the hand dryer where there are visual instructions for users. Within this circled area, someone has added a simple stick figure with lines depicting movement, creating the illusion that the stick figure is running headlong into a wall.
The drawing plays on the visual similarity between the stick figure's implied headfirst motion and the actual motion hands make when using the Airblade. This juxtaposition suggests a humorous misunderstanding of the dryer's usage instructions, as if someone interpreted them as a directive for a full-body action, rather than the intended hand drying.
Furthermore, the humor is multi-layered, appealing to people's experience with the sometimes confusing nature of iconographic instructions and symbols. The visual simplicity of the drawing adds an element of childlike innocence or mischievousness, sparking a sense of shared playfulness among those who view it.
The comedic effect is also enhanced by the unexpectedness of the drawing in what is usually a mundane and functional setting. The surprise of encountering something so out of place and whimsically human in the context of a public restroom can prompt laughter and delight, breaking the monotony of daily routines.
Lastly, the humor could resonate with anyone who has ever felt that technology, despite its sophisticated design, sometimes fails to communicate its function effectively, leading to comical misuses. Here, the drawing acts as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on human interaction with designed objects and the potential absurdity therein. dyson airblade