system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do we often catch ourselves staring at other people when we zone out?
gpt
It's not that you happen to stare at people. In fact, it's the opposite - that you're not staring at anything. Normally, you tend not to focus on people due to social inhibitions and etiquette. But if your mind is elsewhere, your (lack of) focus will drift off to anywhere, including people.