Thread: Dreaming as observer only (not as a participant)

I don't think this phenomenon of dreaming being only an observer and not a participant has only occurred since screens were invented.

Before the 20th century, this concept of being an observer of an activity while not being a participant was important in a wide variety of situations. It was necessary to keep this concept to follow the rule of observing certain things without disturbing it, such as a play, parade, opera, musical performance, sporting event, ect. Concepts such as this that are important in a wide variety of situations were almost certainly dreamed about at some point.

If this phenomenon is becoming more common to dream about, then it must be easier to imagine now then it was then due to the concept being applied to a wider variety of situations. I could see how this is the case, given screens give us access to a greater variety of things to observe without participating in.

It would be interesting to read some recorded dreams from before the 20th century.