Stereogram of carpet looks like slightly different carpet

Bring the stereogram (this image) close to your face. At this distance, you will be unable to focus, but that will allow your eyes to stay uncrossed as you move the image further away until your eyes can focus on points set apart, unlike the way they would if your eyes were crossed.

No, not like that… you act like you’re looking at something behind the page… Yeah, computer screen, I know that. Just focus.

Yes, these things work. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean someone else can’t. Okay, try again. Bring it in close. Almost touching your nose. Now pretend you’re seeing the coffee table behind it. End table, whatever. Let your eyes  relax. Relax. You’re not focusing on the picture yet. Stop it.

Now scoot the image away slowly. Or your face, yeah, either one. Try to let them focus on the different spots in front of each eye, but without crossing your eyes, which is what they want to do. Yep, yep, almost got it.

Right, I know you tried these in the 90s and it never worked for you. That doesn’t mean they don’t work. Alright. When your eyes do learn to focus on the two points right in front of each, what’ll happen is this binocular effect that makes your brain interpret the input as a true stereo image.

Wait, where are you going? No, come back. I promise it can work, you just have to keep trying. Seriously, come back! That’s my laptop!