Mr. Me said:
It's linear thinking. The rationale is "if I'm not there, I have no input".
You know the saying: "Out of sight, out of mind", right?
But there's also the saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder".
Both truisms. Yet they seem to conflict with each other? How can they both be true, then?
If you don't care much about the absent person, then 'out of sight, out of mind' is very likely.
If you really like that person, then as you dwell on them, pine for them, wonder about them, then 'absence will make the heart grow fonder' is more likely.
A person's mind, their imagination, is a very powerful force. It convinces people better than anything else. It's also our own worst enemy.