Comment by dang | Hacker News Reader

Comment by dang | Hacker News Reader

Related:

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I've read about and seen articles submitted on aphantasia more on HN than anywhere else on the internet. I wonder if it's just more prevalent among the HN population than others.

I've heard of it and still have no idea if I have it or not, if what I picture (basically nothing, but I'd still be able to remember the layout of a room for example) is the same as what most people do, but we describe it differently, if there is some condition where one can picture even less than me, if people can actually close their eyes and "see" a scene as if their eyes are open (this I find dubious), etc.

I think the confusing nd somewhat ambiguous description of aphantasia, and the highly literal nature of many HN folks makes it more common for people to either think they may have it, or so question how others see stuff, so are more curious about it.

I'm like you, I feel I have it but it is so hard to communicate what happens in the brain. Talking to my wife I think people can really see images when they close their eyes. For me it is all black.

I can still remember things like layout of a room, complicated directions etc, but it comes with no visual imagery. I also like to close my eyes when I am trying to think what some complicated code is doing, still nothing visual though.

can you imagine the faces of your loved one's? like, if one of them went missing, would you be able to help the investigators draw up a sketch of their face?

as far as i can tell, most people say "yes". for me, when i imagine my dad's face, i get a brief flash of a grin, where the wrinkles are (but certainly not how many, or in any definition), and the rough cut of his hair. there's no eye color in the imagery, for example. stronger than any visual experience when i imagine his face is something of an emotional/empathetic experience -- what it feels like to be in his presence.

from what i gather, for people like me (and maybe you) who experience "some" visual imagery but not "lots", it's just a skill like any other and there are exercises you can do if you care enough about it to strengthen it.

Anecdotally I've only ever heard it discussed in the company of software developers

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