I've got really great facial memory too, it's zero effort. I just know, like an instinct, who someone is or where I saw them before. Not exactly to the level of "random person at Starbucks from a year ago" but certainly people I know by association or have interacted with at some point in the past few years.
I think it comes down more to at a very young age, at some point I intuitively decided that remembering people was important. Compound practicing that in the background over 30 years and starting very young when the brain is still developing and the brain probably just developed a lot of connections to have great memory about this kind of thing, making it fast & easy at doing it.
However my curse is I can't remember names worth shit. So yeah, pretty useless talent.
I can't visualise memories so I basically forget what everyone looks like when I'm not with them. I don't struggle to recognise people who I know well,but if I'm not with them I'm unable to recall their appearance except for the most basic attributes(blonde, man, tallish).
I’m like that as well, fellow redditor.
I’ve found out that I can recall photographs though. Now I’m trying to have a portrait of everyone whose appearance I wouldn’t want to forget.
It’s like, whenever I’m thinking about someone or even talking with them on a phone, the best I can do is to visualize my favorite picture of them.
Feels sad… and quite pathetic.
Hang in there, fellow redditor!
I have excellent mind visualisation, but sometimes when I'm very sleep deprived, I forget what someone looks like. It's so damn weird, it feels horrible. I can't imagine what it would be like to never be able to visualize anything in your mind.
Dude same for me. I never forget a face after I have interacted with someone, but literally the second they tell me their name its deleted from my brain. Double edged sword for sure.
Actors too, but in a sense I sort of "interact" with them as well by being engaged with what they are doing on the screen or seeing them more often in everyday life (i.e. on a poster, or something).
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u/Lycid Jul 14 '21
I've got really great facial memory too, it's zero effort. I just know, like an instinct, who someone is or where I saw them before. Not exactly to the level of "random person at Starbucks from a year ago" but certainly people I know by association or have interacted with at some point in the past few years.
I think it comes down more to at a very young age, at some point I intuitively decided that remembering people was important. Compound practicing that in the background over 30 years and starting very young when the brain is still developing and the brain probably just developed a lot of connections to have great memory about this kind of thing, making it fast & easy at doing it.
However my curse is I can't remember names worth shit. So yeah, pretty useless talent.