Re:I Can’t See You but I’m Not Blind
by my50cents on Tuesday December 14, 2021 @10:54PM
(#29561894)
I was not able to visualize images. When I first heard about aphantasia, I reasoned that since I could have vivid dreams, I must have the hardware to see.
Then I started training myself, first by visualizing basic 2D shapes, then letters, then 3D letters ... eventually I was able to conjure up complex images at will, just like in a vivid dream.
Some time later, it occurred to me that by doing this, I likely stored more data than necessary in my tiny little brain, so I spent more time to untrain myself, by deliberately ignoring images when they pop up.
Now I can no longer conjure up images. My dreams have become more abstract. It has become harder for me to remember faces. On the other hand, I have generally found life easier to process and understand. I feel wiser than my younger self.
Then I started training myself, first by visualizing basic 2D shapes, then letters, then 3D letters ... eventually I was able to conjure up complex images at will, just like in a vivid dream.
Some time later, it occurred to me that by doing this, I likely stored more data than necessary in my tiny little brain, so I spent more time to untrain myself, by deliberately ignoring images when they pop up.
Now I can no longer conjure up images. My dreams have become more abstract. It has become harder for me to remember faces. On the other hand, I have generally found life easier to process and understand. I feel wiser than my younger self.