- Jul 21, 2005
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I have recently become extremely interested in face blindness, and how it works.
For those that don't know, people with this condition (Prosopagnosia) cannot remember faces. The brain literally cannot 'store' faces as memory, so everybody they meet, no matter how many times, how long, or even how famous they are, they are seen as strangers every time.
There are many stories, including some of the links I post below, where people with the condition aren't even able to recognize their own children when picking them up at school, or walk right by their boyfriend while looking for him on the train. This includes family, friends, and even themselves (looking in mirror, they do not know themselves).
There was recently a 60 Minutes piece on face blindness which can be seen (Part 1 of 2).
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I also came across a reddit post where the poster answers any questions given to her. Some interesting ones:
Q: How do you recognize your boyfriend?
A: In crowds, I depend on him to find me. If we have been together all day, I try to look for what he was wearing (what colour shirt, usually) I also look for his gait.
Q:I can see where that would be a problem! never thought of it that way! gotta be very tough living with that! can you guys watch movies together?
A: Sure, we watch movies together a lot. I try my best to not be the annoying person asking "who's that? who's that?" every couple minutes. I try to see if I can understand by what's going on in the plot, but sometimes I have to get him to put it on pause and explain what the hell is going on because I'm so confused.
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Lastly, here is an amazing story of how a guy and a girl fell in love in college, and eventually out of love, due to his face blindness. In the end of the story, she reveals a secret to him that absolutely stuns him. I feel like my mancard should be taken away for saying this, but it truly is a touching story; I was sad after listening to it. :'(
Click the big Play button above the "Listen" button, and skip to 11:55.
http://www.radiolab.org/2010/sep/20/letting-go/
Just thought I would share.
For those that don't know, people with this condition (Prosopagnosia) cannot remember faces. The brain literally cannot 'store' faces as memory, so everybody they meet, no matter how many times, how long, or even how famous they are, they are seen as strangers every time.
There are many stories, including some of the links I post below, where people with the condition aren't even able to recognize their own children when picking them up at school, or walk right by their boyfriend while looking for him on the train. This includes family, friends, and even themselves (looking in mirror, they do not know themselves).
There was recently a 60 Minutes piece on face blindness which can be seen (Part 1 of 2).
--------------------------------------
I also came across a reddit post where the poster answers any questions given to her. Some interesting ones:
Q: How do you recognize your boyfriend?
A: In crowds, I depend on him to find me. If we have been together all day, I try to look for what he was wearing (what colour shirt, usually) I also look for his gait.
Q:I can see where that would be a problem! never thought of it that way! gotta be very tough living with that! can you guys watch movies together?
A: Sure, we watch movies together a lot. I try my best to not be the annoying person asking "who's that? who's that?" every couple minutes. I try to see if I can understand by what's going on in the plot, but sometimes I have to get him to put it on pause and explain what the hell is going on because I'm so confused.
------------------------------------
Lastly, here is an amazing story of how a guy and a girl fell in love in college, and eventually out of love, due to his face blindness. In the end of the story, she reveals a secret to him that absolutely stuns him. I feel like my mancard should be taken away for saying this, but it truly is a touching story; I was sad after listening to it. :'(
Click the big Play button above the "Listen" button, and skip to 11:55.
http://www.radiolab.org/2010/sep/20/letting-go/
Just thought I would share.
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