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How do you think

14K views 145 replies 48 participants last post by  ai.tran.75 
#1 ·
How vivid are your imagination?
what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?
Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?
Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus
When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all
If you speak more than one languages- which language do you verbalize in your mind





I guess I'll start- my thoughts are mainly verbal with specks of visualization - however when indulging in my imagination I can close my eyes and visualize /feel and somewhat smell where I'm at - I can even recall tastes but only up to 33 percent of reality .
My mind talks nonstop- and I have 3 or 4( maybe more) thoughts running all at once
For example- one part of my mind will be making a movie , another recalling a conversation with somebody but it's faded out , and then the main part would narrate or introspect itself.
My thoughts are always in English - when conversing in Vietnamese with my mom and relatives ( I can speak, read and write fluently in Vietnamese )
When conversing with somebody - my main focus will be talking to them - however my mind does jump around in visual thoughts and other false fantasize memories all at once . I tend to recall and remember what the other person is saying - however I find myself quite talkative- yet when the conversation is over I could only remember what the other party said .
When writing- my mind goes blank and I just write , sometimes it feels as if my writing junp out before my thoughts - same with reading and watching a movie I enjoy, it's as if my mind took a break for a while- however if I'm not fully captivated then random thoughts would occur.
My mind doesn't stop and I can easily introspect myself and make pro cons list in my mind- yet have soft melody of music ( only 25 % effective I can't actually hear the music out loud ) in the back ground . I replay conversations nonstop , and it's easy for me to drift off into daydreaming- more so if I'm listening to music .when certain emotions hits me- flash back of visual memory would occur- for example- I kept on seeing me as a four years old asking my dad who gave him his Picasso painting and he will say " you did" and for that brief moment I'll feel like I travel back in time


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#2 ·
How vivid are your imagination?
Very

what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?
Visual and auditory

Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?
It's whatever fits the train of thought.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus
I wasn't aware multitasking was humanly possible. I thought we just rotated focus at a rapid rate.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all
It's usually fluid. Sometimes I have a pointer I wish to share, but it's inspired by the middle of a long story someone is telling. These points can get backed up sometimes in excited exchanges. They might get brought up the next time.
 
#3 ·
Okay, Ai. I'm like you, but I've got some specific stuff just like you.
Looking at my thought process like it's a "scene" is a good idea. It's all "gists" mostly. In the visual department think of shadows colors and shapes moving. Although, I'm a very visual thinker. I see math as very visual. The big one for me is, I always have music running and it comes into the forefront or goes into the backdrop, in and out depending on how much I love it. Sometimes music is so clear for me, it almost seems clearer and more intense than listening in real life and sometimes I have a hard time listening to anyone in real life. The music is louder. I had to give it a break.

Sometimes I'll see flashes of art. Like flashes one after the other, very strong images. Paintings and sculpture. For some reason the first time this happened it kind of scared me. I didn't like the images just flashing uncontrollably. Also this art is something my brain is making, its not a memory. Usually this only happens like once a year or something. I can ask my brain to do this. I am getting better at that. Actually, I just tried and right now I can't ask my brain to do this. I might work on that, but I'm concentrating on composing music now.

If I'm learning a new language then the music and a background of that language playing (like people speaking it in lowered voices) is going on interchangeably. By this I know my subconscious is working on learning that language.

I guess I'm fairly close to my subconscious and it's my "backdrop". Images (memory) are like shadowy yet colorful movement in the middle and my conscious thought is the foreground. I can detect those 3 things at once. If I'm talking to someone it creates a 4th level, actually. Even closer than my "conscious" it will connect what people say to my memories and the connections come quick and like small flashes or sparks almost of concept. Research does the same thing. Self-reflection does the same actually. I guess this is why ENFPs get so absorbed?

My memories of the tangible world are all not very good. When I'm connecting thoughts, they are all in the abstract and like I said, like small flashes of concepts. But could I ever remember a raspberry taste? And that's my favorite taste, btw,... I can remember the color and the dust on it if I'm picking it outside and the sun on it, but not clearly. All more like a painting--- not even a clear painting. More like an abstract painting that symbolizes the warmth and includes the colors of the raspberry. When I was younger I used to ask my brain to take a photo of something and I'd memorize it. I hardly even do this anymore very well. Also directions to get to destinations are really hard for me to visualize. I can't seem to remember landmarks well either. So getting lost is a possibility if I don't have my cell phone. And I'm saying this about places I've driven to 2-3 times (very poor Si, I guess)

Writing... it's kind of in that 4th area. Forefront and the thought happens as I write.
 
#5 ·
Sometimes I'll see flashes of art. Like flashes one after the other, very strong images. Paintings and sculpture. For some reason the first time this happened it kind of scared me. I didn't like the images just flashing uncontrollably. Also this art is something my brain is making, its not a memory. Usually this only happens like once a year or something. I can ask my brain to do this. I am getting better at that. Actually, I just tried and right now I can't ask my brain to do this. I might work on that, but I'm concentrating on composing music now.

If I'm learning a new language then the music and a background of that language playing (like people speaking it in lowered voices) is going on interchangeably. By this I know my subconscious is working on learning that language.

I guess I'm fairly close to my subconscious and it's my "backdrop". Images (memory) are like shadowy yet colorful movement in the middle and my conscious thought is the foreground. I can detect those 3 things at once. If I'm talking to someone it creates a 4th level, actually. Even closer than my "conscious" it will connect what people say to my memories and the connections come quick and like small flashes or sparks almost of concept. Research does the same thing. Self-reflection does the same actually. I guess this is why ENFPs get so absorbed?

My memories of the tangible world are all not very good. When I'm connecting thoughts, they are all in the abstract and like I said, like small flashes of concepts. But could I ever remember a raspberry taste? And that's my favorite taste, btw,... I can remember the color and the dust on it if I'm picking it outside and the sun on it, but not clearly. All more like a painting--- not even a clear painting. More like an abstract painting that symbolizes the warmth and includes the colors of the raspberry. When I was younger I used to ask my brain to take a photo of something and I'd memorize it. I hardly even do this anymore very well. Also directions to get to destinations are really hard for me to visualize. I can't seem to remember landmarks well either. So getting lost is a possibility if I don't have my cell phone. And I'm saying this about places I've driven to 2-3 times (very poor Si, I guess)

Writing... it's kind of in that 4th area. Forefront and the thought happens as I write.
Yeah with flashes of art - sometimes mine would creep me out as well- bc it's odd abstract images that I've never seen before
- however I can paint in my mind and play with coloring just vaguely

With tastes- I can remember quite vividly - for example since we're talking about raspberry,
I can feel the soft bubbly soft texture, it's fuzzy skin and the soft burst of sweet and sour tart ( but not overpowering)- there is a hint of floral taste and smell to it , the raspberry taste leaves a tingle sensation on the tip of my tongue- for some odd reason I kept on pairing this thought with an image of me in a white dress walking barefoot outside my old neighbor garden with a hint of soft breeze but my skin is kinda itching.

With directions - yeah it depends on the place I'm going to. My istp husband- can drive somewhere once and remember everything- I can't do that - same with picturing my room- if somebody was take something from my room or replace something- I'll barely notice.

How does your brain take photo work ? Are the images in color like everyday or pastel?

Oh yeah - do certain music make you more imaginative or run different thoughts ? What kind of music do you orchestrate?
Can you remember someone voice ? Or are they all your own voices ?

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#4 · (Edited)
Ai.tran.75 What about emotions and memory?
Good follow-up question.
Emotion memory: Very strong but abstract and in a visual way, again like an abstract painting. My first strong memory is of when they brought my sister home from the hospital. I was 2 3/4 years old. I remember feeling like the room was full of light and that a small angel was in the room-- I felt she was sacred. I loved her immediately and in an all-consuming way. I could actually paint all these things--- I could make them abstract but with some forms. I haven't tried to do that. I usually paint from off of pictures.
 
#8 ·
My first strong memory is of when they brought my sister home from the hospital.
My 1st memory was at 2. I was on a merry go round. I noticed everything about the moment. I remember the colors of the grass, sky, and ponies. I remember a brown haired toddler in a white frilly dress in the outside lane to my right.
 
#6 ·
How vivid are your imagination?
Feels too subjective to answer... but I like to think fairly vivid.

what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?
None. I guess I see and hear things and imagine other senses but none of it is a real simulation. At least never real enough for me to associate it with senses.

Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?
It becomes more visual and surreal when I'm exhausted, as if my mind is already creating dreamlike imagery. Generally my everyday thoughts are purely verbal unless I am daydreaming or trying to imagine art (story/drawing whatever it is, when I'm struck with inspiration it's visual).

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus
It's linear. I can jump from point to point but it's always a progression. Sometimes I will get sidetracked and lose my trail of thought but that annoys me.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all
That's all dependent on the conversation, the person and my mood. My mind isn't constantly running in conversation but if it's not I'm often not that engaged with the conversation. I suppose the more common thoughts are "Huh, that reminds me of something, I should tell them about."


How does your brain take photo work ? Are the images in color like everyday or pastel?
Do you mean remembering things visually? It's kind of neither... like I suppose the best way to describe it would be like if I were to project an image using a projector onto whatever I'm currently looking at, the colours blend with that. When it's darkness or my eyes are closed the image is still faded, fuzzy.

Oh yeah - do certain music make you more imaginative or run different thoughts ?
Definitely. I often rely on that. It gets me into the moods of characters I'm writing/designing or it motivates me into certain moods... like working out or hyping up for meeting up with friends or evoking whatever emotion I need.

Can you remember someone voice ?
Yes.

Or are they all your own voices ?
Both, it's not consistant. Sometimes my thoughts might end up all being the voice of someone else... which is weird.
 
#7 ·
Both, it's not consistant. Sometimes my thoughts might end up all being the voice of someone else... which is weird.
Yeah my thoughts are mainly verbal as well , constant conversations. When drawing or reading does your mind space out for a while or is it constantly active?

Interesting that sometimes the voice in your mind is not your own, it happens to me sometimes as well now that I think of it . Sometimes when I hear my recorded voice I'm shock by how foreign it sound compared the voice in my head

Does music play in your mind?

Most sense and visual I can recall a good 40-60 percent of the actual image but never fully exact

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#14 ·
How vivid are your imagination?

Probably not as vivid as the others here. My imagination, even in dreams, is usually vague and is more of internal feelings than anything physical. At best there is a lot of audio, some video. No matter how vivid my dreams get, it is the emotional impact that stays with me. Nightmares are usually about feeling lost and confused. Good dreams involve connecting with other people.


what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?

Mostly verbal/ auditory, but having a visual helps. I learn and remember things in the form of story-chunks. It is much like "last song syndrome" or how I can remember and sing a whole song just from hearing the first line. But if you asked me to pick it up from the middle I might not remember as much. When I read, I play out whole scenes in my head like a movie. So when I think about what I've read, sometimes it's the feeling of the movie that I remember and not the exact words. It is very personal and might not be accurate because it's already my interpretation at that point.


Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?

Verbal with lots of audio. I'm musically inclined, but I actually have a bad sense of pitch. My musical memory is more logical, I remember the patterns and not the individual notes themselves. That's why as I said above, I can recall whole tunes/ songs with the first line as trigger, but not without any obvious sequence. Visual, not so much. I'm bad at remembering faces and places. If something does not have emotional significance to me, it will probably not register. So I need verbal-logical with audio plus feeling-memory to think about and remember something.


Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus

Singular focus, so that even when there are several ideas they relate to one thing. This may be consciously or subconsciously. You'd be surprised at how many seemingly disconnected things I can relate to each other with my weird brand of logic (Ni). I'm bad at multitasking. The only time multiple thoughts played at once for me was when I was on antidepressants. It was distracting and might cause me to get run over by a car while crossing the road. Oh, that reminds me, I can't think or talk while crossing the road. It is very difficult for me to talk to someone while simply walking, I find it exhausting as well as distracting. Needless to say, I have no confidence that I would drive a car. Nope, not gonna risk that one. If I were to take meds again and drive, I'll be in a car wreck in no time.

That said, if I have plenty of time to work on multiple thoughts, I could string them together in such a way that I find weird connections and I don't forget anymore. My short term memory might be bad but my long term memory is extremely good. When faced with a lot of ideas, I kinda "throw" them at my subconscious - "hey, chew on this, will ya?" and a solution would show up within several days, sometimes seemingly from the middle of nowhere. Like, "oh I just remembered reading/ watching something years ago that might relate to your topic/ problem". My subconscious is always at work on some problem and my dreams, although not vivid, are emotionally charged as a result, and are often just as exhausting as waking life. Sometimes I end up waking up already tired.


When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all

Depends. If it's verbally in real life, I prefer to have all my attention on that person. Sadly that is almost never the case as they don't bother to wait for a good timing. So they usually catch me by surprise while I'm doing something else, or confuse me by interrupting my train of thought. Worse is having more than one person talk to me at the same time. I can avoid this by putting myself in "standby mode" where I do nothing except wait and observe my surroundings in case someone wants to communicate with me. I only discovered this recently, when I noted that I have a tendency to wait for a person to be completely "free" before I talk to them - that is what I prefer for myself but nobody does for me.

Most of the communication problems are "solved" if it is online, and in longhand as in forums and emails. I can take the time to read entire threads before responding, and come up with a well-thought out reply. Mostly I think about the topic and what the person I'm replying to means to me, but I end up typing an emotional and subjective response anyway. The feeling-memory is the logical glue that holds my thoughts together. It helps to have a list of ideas and things to do so I don't lose data while following one train of thought/ activity. Because once I'm engaged in one train I tend to forget about all the others.


If you speak more than one languages- which language do you verbalize in your mind

I speak Tagalog and English. My mind is in Taglish by default. When I talk to someone in real life, my thoughts are in Tagalog. When I write, my thoughts are in English. When I think to myself, my thoughts are in English, music and song lyrics (English, Japanese, some Chinese), or pure emotions. I'd learned to think in English early on to cope with school, because classes were mostly in English. What is funny about my subconscious thoughts is that they are sometimes in Japanese or Chinese because of the anime and dramas I've been watching. If I were into Korean dramas I might have been able to pick up their feeling-language. Sometimes I remember a phrase or lyric, but I have to google for the translation - and it would be spot on, exactly what I'm feeling at the moment.
 
#15 ·
I really enjoyed reading your responses, I can relate to the book being like a movie memory - to a certain extent movies books and stories will eventually interplay into memories and fantasy of mine.
I find it interesting that you can remember music in different languages and catch up on the emotions of it . Pretty impressive

Can you recall taste- like if I were to ask you to recall the scent of honey Jasmine or taste of tonkatsu ramen broth

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#19 · (Edited)
In the SP thread, same topic @blueRaspberries brought up:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia
I wonder what other terms there are for how people experience their thoughts?
I have met a person who sees music notes as color.

If I have this (I'm not sure just from reading their examples), then I have the spatial-sequence synesthesia--- how do you all experience math and numbers?
 
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#20 · (Edited)
In the SP thread, same topic @blue Raspberries brought up:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia
I wonder what other terms there are for how people experience their thoughts?
I have met a person who sees music notes as color.

If I have this (I'm not sure just from reading their examples), then I have the spatial-sequence synesthesia--- how do you all experience math and numbers?
@Hellena Handbasket has chromesthesia if I remembered correctly - also Hellena I'm very curious about how you think

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#22 ·
How vivid are your imagination?
elaborate in thinking things out like scenarios, but not detailed imagery.

what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?
Interesting question.
...not smell. never smell.
...of course sight
...sometimes hearing, not as much except in the case of music
...not touch
...not taste.

taste and touch require external triggers, the triggers aren't internal.

Is it more visual/verbal/audio ?
Extremely visual, but not vivid details. I'm visual-spatial.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus
Definitely cacophony if I don't expend my energy.

If you speak more than one languages- which language do you verbalize in your mind
Images only. Sometimes those images are of words being said, though. I learn language "kid style." I think cross-connecting language makes it harder to learn and complicates the process because words can't always be 100% paralell and grammar differences will end up convoluted.

thanks! :p
 
#27 ·
Don't shoot me, but here is an example of how my emotion-based "thinking" can throw me way off.
I had avoided @ai.tran.75 for months on this site because I had the wrong first impression. I thought she was a troll and questioned her gender. I was thinking along these lines back then:
- Ai is an extrovert. She posts too much.
- Her English is worse than mine + sheer number of posts = must be a troll
- She's Asian, and Asian boys are sometimes as cute as girls.
- There's "tran" in her username. Maybe she is transgender? Wouldn't surprise me.

*hides*
 
#30 ·
Hahaha that's the weirdest first impression I've ever received. I'm not offended no worries

Highly doubt my English is worst than yours- grammar wise perhaps ( I'm from California- but my English is quite fluent in terms of speaking, I don't have an accent)


Yes I post a lot- I am an Ne dom, but i never thought my posts were offensive . Or I hope not !

Also I know I don't wear make up but I have never been told that I'm androgynous looking - thanks! I guess it's a compliment considering the fact that you're bi [emoji6]

What impression do you have of me now? Curious

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#32 ·
@ai.tran.75 Yes, I'm a stickler for good grammar, especially in writing. It's how I choose my friends, mostly subconsciously though. I am very much turned off by reckless posting with spelling and grammar mistakes.

I didn't find you offensive, just chatty. So chatty that it scared me off.
I'm glad you see it as a compliment. You really are pretty though. So it's kind of a shock that it comes naturally to you.
Sometimes I think when someone is very extroverted, they are shallow. But interacting with ENFPs has changed this view a lot.

Now I think you're really nice, and I don't mind the extroversion anymore. You're like a cool older sister or mommy.
 
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#33 ·
Hahaha older sister I'll accept but mommy no - I think I'm only a few years older than you are haha


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#36 ·
How vivid are your imagination?
Extremely. INFJness facilitates this, I think (not that others aren't also facilitated in their own way), with our natural predilection for seeing things from numerous standpoints, our chameleon-like ways (hmm, chameleons are cold-blooded...), our Fe taking up residence hither, thither, and yon, and our very inquisitive crystal balls.

what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?
All come into play, just like IRL.

Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?
Mainly visual; but I can voluntarily turn on the other senses in the imaginary process. Hmmm, let's think about an orange. I can see it. I can feel its rough surface. I can smell its, um, orangey smell. I can taste it. I can't seem to get this particular orange to talk to me. Obviously people have been spreading vicious rumors about me. Whatever people might say, my feelings for tangelos are strictly platonic.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus
Um, this will make no sense, but: Both.

See? I told you it would make no sense.

Explanation: Part of my brain is specializing, part of my brain is concerned with infiltrating everything and sifting sifting sifting.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all
I'm usually thinking about interesting things as they natter on with whatever they have to go on about.

But some people :heart: get my full attention in every syllable they say or don't say.

If you speak more than one languages- which language do you verbalize in your mind
[...]
At certain points, when I have been doing research in French or Spanish, I've been pleased and a little surprised to find myself thinking in the language; and there are stray times that for some reason I'll involuntarily shift for a moment into Frenchthought; but my mother tongue English has a kind of crazy I thoroughly love. Hmm. Could we call English the ENFP of languages? :rolleyes:
 
#37 ·
Extremely. INFJness facilitates this, I think (not that others aren't also facilitated in their own way), with our natural predilection for seeing things from numerous standpoints, our chameleon-like ways (hmm, chameleons are cold-blooded...), our Fe taking up residence hither, thither, and yon, and our very inquisitive crystal balls.



All come into play, just like IRL.



Mainly visual; but I can voluntarily turn on the other senses in the imaginary process. Hmmm, let's think about an orange. I can see it. I can feel its rough surface. I can smell its, um, orangey smell. I can taste it. I can't seem to get this particular orange to talk to me. Obviously people have been spreading vicious rumors about me. Whatever people might say, my feelings for tangelos are strictly platonic.



Um, this will make no sense, but: Both.

See? I told you it would make no sense.

Explanation: Part of my brain is specializing, part of my brain is concerned with infiltrating everything and sifting sifting sifting.



I'm usually thinking about interesting things as they natter on with whatever they have to go on about.

But some people [emoji813] get my full attention in every syllable they say or don't say.



At certain points, when I have been doing research in French or Spanish, I've been pleased and a little surprised to find myself thinking in the language; and there are stray times that for some reason I'll involuntarily shift for a moment into Frenchthought; but my mother tongue English has a kind of crazy I thoroughly love. Hmm. Could we call English the ENFP of languages? :rolleyes:
Hahaha no o don't find your thought process that confusing but it is very interesting
Amazing how you can call out other senses ' can you imagine physical touch or sensation through imaginations ?

I can relate with both singular focus and multiple thoughts playing out at once[emoji1] my brain usually have different thought process running all at once but one thought will be the main focus

How do you recall memories? And do you have still image thoughts? Are is it more abstract?

Hmm is enfp the universal language? I don't know- I would love for that to be the case. Out of curiousity do you have faint music playing in your mind

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#39 ·
How vivid are your imagination?

verbal and visual.

Most of the times I think in an inner dialogue "I'm cold" "I have to do this thing, I'll just do it tomorow."

" What if you do this and then you might get that."

But sometimes I get such a crystal clear visual and I want so bad to create it through art or communicate what I mean.

Like I can close my eyes and instantly see a very clear and cool image and I'll try to draw it. And if I spend all day looking at inspiring pictures, without even being aware of them meshing together in my eyes I'll blink and in that moment of a blink I'll see an impression of all the things I've just looked at meshed into one cohesive idea, for a brief moment, and I try and try to remember that image. And the images are usually very clear and detailed, I have no idea where they come from.

One day I wanted to create my own pokemon and the excersize I did was just close my eyes and draw the first thing I see. And I pretty much filled and entire notebook up of imaginary creatures.




what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?


When I smell and aroma it usually triggers a memory, I can smell something familiar and literally recall a detailed moment where I last smelled that aroma. It's almost like the smell takes me back to that moment and I experience the emotions and sensations all over again. Also songs help me remember things like phone numbers pin numbers passwords and such.



Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?


Verbal and Visual. I talk to myself and see pictures. It's also harder for me to learn things without seeing pictures. And I find myself using the phrase " I see what you mean." Or "I can picture that." More than saying the words I understand or I get it.


Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus ?


I can have multiple thoughts happen but it's more of a transition from one thought to another string of thoughts never two thoughts going on at the same time. It's hard to keep a singular focus for an entire day.

Actually when I try to have a singular focus I drift away from it and then try hard to remember the singular focus and get angry if I can't until moments later when it just hits me.


When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all ?

When I'm talking to someone, or when they are talking to me, I am usually scanning for the purpose or big picture of what they are talking about or the underlying implications, where the whole conversation is leading to, the point of the conversation ( and it frustrates me to no end when there is no big picture or no purpose behind what they are saying).

And while scanning for the purpose behind what someone is saying, once I find that purpose my mind immediately drifts away when they get into the details and once they are done talking my mind snaps back and I try to reassure them that I was listening by telling them I heard the bigger picture of what they were saying. Example:

Other person: " So my sister got scoliosis just before her final exam, she was trying to get into Yale, they say scoliosis can affect people in her age range, I don't know why we didn't see this coming, she's been eating nothing but pita bread for a week, maybe we should have gotten her on our quinoa diet."

Me: (thoughts "Oh damn her sister is in the hospital?" "Oh damn right before her important test.") Response " Oh damn so your sister won't be able to get into an ivy league school because she's in the hospital!?

Other person: Yea exactly! It's really getting her down.

Like my brain doesn't even register the disease name, the quinoa diet, the school name, my brain is only registering the big ideas behind what people say and what it's all implying. If someone is talking like this

"So I took my kids to see star wars yesterday...."

My mind is thinking this " Ok?...was it fun...why are you telling me this?"
 
#40 ·
A new question. When we NFs remember or think of a person and basically feel their soul, how do you experience this? (And yes, I think some of you will want to connect on this--- we're NFs, afterall.)
Yesterday I was trying to think of answers to these things, when someone said something on here that made me feel love for them and have a "sense" of who they are. I always think this is me sensing their spirit (this may be an ENFP thing, but I'd bet each feeler has a version) and I immediately realized that my memory or "sense" of them is not in my head. It may be partially in my head, but it sweeps through my chest area/heart area like a wave of love. So I realized right then it's not even my brain, or maybe only partially my brain that allows me to experience another person and even trying to remember the connection only makes me realize more that it's not all in my brain.

Something SO fascinating that I learned years ago is that when people get heart transplants their personalities change.... I found this out from a friend who had had a transplant. She had been a vegan, didn't much like men, was scared of the water, and hated medical personelle. She woke up craving meat and potatoes, feeling like she very much understood men, wanting to swim, and loving all things medicine!
I looked it up... this is common and documented for heart transplants (look this up) but not for kidneys or other kinds of transplants.... heart muscle memory? Isn't that fascinating?
 
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#73 ·
Awesome awesome thread, I enjoyed reading everyone's replies and it's so interesting to hear the similarities and differences. I'll give a reply since I never did.

How vivid are your imagination?

Actually extremely vivid, especially with emotional content. The longer I use it the more I disconnect from reality altogether, especially if there's no Se pressure dragging me back.

what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?

All of them I think. And it does carry over into real sensory input at times. For example if I imagine a delicious meal I will quickly start salivating. I think I have very high dopamine. Though also my thoughts will change my various hormone levels drastically. If I think of the wrong things I can start pumping out stress hormones for example. Yet I do have control over this, my thoughts are not very compulsive these days.

For some reason yesterday I was remembering being at the pool as a kid, and immediately all 5 senses came out, the bluish-white tiles, the way they feel cold and firm under your feet, or the feel of the rough poured concrete that surrounds them. The smell of chlorine, the air on your wet skin, feeling of pruny fingers, the echoing ambiant noise of the indoor pool, the sunlight making streaks across the walls, the lifeguard on her big tall chair with that floppy red noodle and her orange whistle. Oh I guess that didn't include taste. Hah, good, it shouldn't. Though after I said that I remembered getting snacks from those snack machines with the curly metal things in rows.

These kinds of memories (most of my memories actually) have kind of an "emotional coloration" to them too. Like an instagram filter or something. It's not even actual color though, it's not a concrete thing, it's some kind of specific intangible emotion-like vibe that is unique to that memory. There's a unique feeling I associate with pool tiles. Or being on a swing. Or looking at the clouds from a field of green grass. Or being surrounded by a field of snow. Those abstract feelings are usually how I organize my thoughts. If one thing reminds me of another it's probably as a result of those abstract vibes/feelings.

For some reason I keep thinking of this:



Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?

It depends on what I'm imagining. If it's a song it will be mostly audio but I might get a visualization too. If it's a conversation it will be audio visual and maybe tactile.

With music it can get extremely vivid, it can get to he point where it sounds like it's being played on loudspeakers in the distance, like it's ambiantly playing to the entire world. Though it's not always like that. Sometimes it's more "internal" and I don't hear the detail of the audio as much.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus

I'm pretty singular. I can do multiple but it feels unpleasant. I start feeling frazzled/confused/jumpy the more trains of thought I have. When I have just one it feels best. Sometimes I will not even have one train of conscious thought. Just depends.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all

I'm usually thinking about what they're going to say next, as well as the core meaning of what they're saying (their intentions/expectations,) and then also what I think about it logically and/or emotionally. This sounds like different trains of thoughts but it doesn't really feel that way, they just all seem to come packaged together.

I can have a bad habit of responding to people after they say only one or two words because I already can just wordlessly feel what they're going to say. I don't place that much emphasis on people's word choice because I'm only looking at the underlying meaning. A lot of a conversation is contextual for me, not just about the words that are said. It's a mix of what's happening, why we're talking, what they've said before on similar topics or on any topics, and lots of ot her factors. But the contextual part I understand subconsciously and automatically, so it just informs my listening and makes it easier to parse other people's conversations and also decide how much attention they will require or how engaged I feel.

If you speak more than one languages- which language do you verbalize in your mind

I speak English and Japanese, English is my native and I learned Japanese as a teenager. Mainly English but I do switch between both. Sometimes there's a phrase or a mood or vibe that doesn't really connect with English so it comes out in Japanese. Or sometimes I just switch to thinking in Japanese for some reason and stay that way for a while. Sometimes there will also be "characters" as the first person voice in my head and that can decide what language comes out too. My inner voice will then also be in that person's accent and way of speaking.

My own default personal inner voice doesn't really have a distinct sound. I think it's loosely based on my voice but it doesn't actually sound like me.

A new question. When we NFs remember or think of a person and basically feel their soul, how do you experience this? (And yes, I think some of you will want to connect on this--- we're NFs, afterall.)
I think this would go back to my abstract vibes/feelings, only turned up a notch. I can't describe the feeling of a person's energy that exists in me yet I just know it's there and it is instantly recognizable to me without any words or imagery or anything. It's just an intangible entity that probably incorporates all of the information I know about that person into one singular form.
 
#41 ·
@Alesha I can kinda relate in the sense that when seeing somebody in pain ( ex children in Syria ) my heart hurts- it stems from the heart, not brain . But not to the extent that you are feeling
However I find it fascinating that heart transplant change a person's personality

How do you recall memories or how do you look for something that's misplaced?


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#42 ·
@Alesha I can kinda relate in the sense that when seeing somebody in pain ( ex children in Syria ) my heart hurts- it stems from the heart, not brain . But not to the extent that you are feeling
However I find it fascinating that heart transplant change a person's personality

How do you recall memories or how do you look for something that's misplaced? Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Hmm... do you get a sense of people's souls/spirits? Lets say it another way: Do you get a "sense" of someone? Their personality, who they are? Remember, I'm starting to think I can talk about anything and find out that others CAN relate here. But I've heard non-religious ENFPs tell me things like, "I just loved his spirit! Who he is!" That kind of thing. And I think my INFJ friend could relate...I'm not sure if she used those terms... hmm.. my INFP husband has this once in a blue moon. For me, it's often... it's the people I get close to. Other people I may get a "sense" of their personality and their MBTI type..... ah well... we will see if this question leads anywhere.

Misplaced things: I look around where I usually "would" place that item. I also try to re-trace my steps.
 
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#51 ·
How vivid are your imagination?

Vivid enough I can at times forget I'm alive. Sometimes I will go through phases where I wish I couldn't fall into imaginations because I feel as if it's taking over my life, like a slap in the face whenever I zone back into where I truly am. I love it, and hate it. It's a bit like telling yourself you no longer wish to have feelings or a heart, or to fall in love again, merely because you got hurt.

What senses can you feel or use when thinking about something?

Sight. My eyes go out of focus, yet I auto-pilot my way around. I don't understand when people say they can taste or smell their imaginations/memories. I mean, you can say the strawberry you had was sour, but you're not tasting sourness as you're describing it - you're merely recollecting the feeling and stimulant it had upon your tongue, or the way your face cringed in reaction as your mouth filled with saliva and a shiver ran own your spine. Some imagination get my heart pumping.

Is it more visual/verbal/audio ?

Usually visual, because I tend to go back and write or speak dialogue for it later. If I imagined two person in a cafe, for example, the setting and atmosphere would come before the conversation. But having said that, if I do have an idea I would like to talk about, then I'd imagine the idea verbally and converse it like I'm speaking to myself in a parallel universe, without any visualisation whatsoever. Never audio, though - I have to put that in through headphones.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus?

As much as I would like to be, I am never singular focused. I almost envy people who are. Sometimes the multiple thoughts connect in some way, if I put in the effort to connect them, or else they're just plots distributed down a holey timeline.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind - do you have any thoughts at all?

I get socially anxious. From online to offline, any form of direct communication with someone befuddles my mind. I tend to describe it as 'fight or flight'; and as it's gone on or so long, it's easier to take flight. Usually my thoughts are constantly telling myself to calm down or relax, or working out how to politely end the conversation because I want to be left alone.

Afterwards, I get obsessive about the conversations that maybe I wasn't talkative or funny or I said something stupid and nonsensical, that I won't be invited back because I'm not socially eloquent in my speech, blah, blah, blah. Then I imagine how the conversation "should" have gone, and suddenly I'm Oscar Wilde. My mind is always in some Oscar Wilde witty flow, but my tongue is not, and then I sound idiotic -- yet, I've been told I speak very well, and just need more confidence. My mind is eating me alive.

If you speak more than one languages - which language do you verbalize in your mind?

I speak English and some Maori, but my mind is in English. Although, there are multiple accents amongst inner dialogue.
 
#52 ·
How vivid are your imagination?

Vivid enough I can at times forget I'm alive. Sometimes I will go through phases where I wish I couldn't fall into imaginations because I feel as if it's taking over my life, like a slap in the face whenever I zone back into where I truly am. I love it, and hate it. It's a bit like telling yourself you no longer wish to have feelings or a heart, or to fall in love again, merely because you got hurt.

.
What a nice fi-Ne-Si combo for writing! I can't help but feel INFPs are the best writers around.... you definitely should! And hopefully you already do. =)
 
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#53 ·
How vivid is your imagination?very if I'm really focusing on it, though there are often details missing

what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something?
all of them, though I think touch and taste are less prominent

Is it more visual/verbal/audio?
I'd say a combination of images and words but not like seeing words or hearing a voice speaking words in my head, sometimes it is but not all the time.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus
hmmm.... I'd say I jump back and forth between thoughts but I'm not sure I'd say I have multiple thoughts going at once...

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all
it depends on what we're talking about, if I'm not very interested my mind will definitely wander off to other things, but also sometimes something someone mentions will spark an idea or related thought and I'll try to hold onto that till I can either interject and share it with them or remember to write it down later. When someone is telling me about something I will definitely be picturing it in my head. When reading I will sometimes pause to really picture/hear/feel what's being described more clearly so I can feel immersed.
 
#54 ·
How vivid are your imagination?

10/10

What senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?

Sight, audio, touch and smell.
Taste is difficult to conjure up in imagination.

Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?

Mostly visual, but also there's lots of dialogue. No background noises or music or anything, just dialogues. Also touch is strong. I can feel in the flesh being touched or touching someone just by visualizing.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus

Yes, multiple are there and I have to force myself to choose 1 and focus. The other thoughts will constantly try to get into the picture, like they scream for attention, and I have to constantly push them aside, it's a bit exhausting. When I'm tired of pushing them aside, all visualizations merge into a sort of caleidoscope and it's not pleasant, I feel crazy, too much stimulation, it gives me a headache.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all

When conversing with somebody in my imagination? I listen to what they say and I think the exact thought that the me in the visualization is thinking.
When conversating with someone irl, my brain mostly stops, processes, starts, stops, processes, starts. So I will listen to the person (stop) and I don't think much while I'm listening, I'm swallowing the information and also "feeling" them at an energetic level, and I suppose I'm also picking on their body language (tho this is subconscious, obvsly).
When it looks like they're going to stop talking, my brain suddenly goes into analysis mode about what I just heard and saw both from their speech and their energy and their body language (process).
I process in a matter of seconds, and my speech starts. Then the other person responds to what I said, and my brain stops again, it's only taking in info 100%.
U know how some people look like they're only waiting for you to shut up so they can speak? Like they're concocting their thoughts before you're even halfway done, they have their response ready and so what you're saying doesn't matter. I'm the opposite of that. I listen fully, then process, then speak. This makes me look like a calm person and sometimes dumb to people, they think I'm not mentally quick and therefore I must be dumb.

If you speak more than one languages- which language do you verbalize in your mind

The three of them (I'm trilingual).
Depends on the last language I used, it lingers in my mind.
If I just finished watching a Catalan tv show, I think in Catalan for the next few hours, until maybe someone texts me in Spanish and we chat for a bit, so Spanish gets into my mind for a few hours, and then I come to the internet and watch yt vids in English and so my brain switches to English, and I'll be in the shower thinking "I need to buy shampoo" and I think it in English lol, and it keeps rotating, reacting to external factors.
 
#55 ·
@Ai, can we hear the results of what you learned, please. I know its a lot.
 
#57 ·
Hahaha well the first one is technically more accurate because it's my name and what everyone calls me, my SN I didn't pick out for me [emoji1]
Hey there

Ok so here is what I gathered up so far-
NE has multiple trains of thoughts running at once, thoughts are in words or conversation, visual memory more abstract than realistic , the stronger the Ne ( this includes esxj) they are more likely to have multiple trains of thoughts will run- guess it is called Ne for a reason. Apparently the mind never stops .

SI- can recall senses and memory- Istj mind is very organized - like a computer - they organize their thoughts into categories and can come back to it and pull it out - I find that very amusing.
Sensors( Si/Se dom) can recall visual quite well if put thoughts into it, their visual memory and thoughts are more realistic than abstract .Their thoughts are singular focus, and get very antsy or get anxiety if more than one thoughts were to playing at once .


strong SI and Fi - associate feelings and memories ( this includes ixtj as well )
Fi- recall other people's voices
I believe you were on track when you said NF can play music in ones mind.
TI dom verbalize their thoughts - however I notice istp with strong Se or Ni tend to be visual thinker, intp more verbal/audio and multiple train of thoughts playing at once. Likewise - istp more ( visual thinkers)

The stronger the Si the more likely for it to recall senses such as touch , smell , memories - 2 estj mentioned being trapped in the past or getting lost in thoughts from the past that they nearly shocked themself when they realize it's just a memory- like they briefly travel back in time
Similar thing happened to me a few weeks back - my friend gave me Darjeeling tea- I took a small sniff and for a brief split of a second- I felt as if I was 20 again, standing inside the kitchen of this tea shop I used to work at and smelling Darjeeling - it was less than 2 seconds but it felt as if I was really there ! Thought that was odd.

Ni are more complex- I'm still trying to figure out a similarity.

I'm still researching * but what about you? Do you have anything to add




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#58 ·
How vivid are your imagination?

It's vivid, I can recall movie scenes, play complete songs in my head, imagine abstract shapes floating around and transforming, people or any kind of character entering my room and doing whatever, whenever I'm walking past a construction site I just have to imagine how it would look like when it's completed, or what kind of design might've been a better fit. I do this almost automatically, having "visionary" as my tritype might explain why I do it.

What senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?

All 5, mainly visual and sound.

Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?

Yep, I could hear myself formulate an answer, but only in cut off syllables, not consistent speech, that's just to slow, I use it only when writing like I do now, I can hear myself think, thereby making sure that what I say is consistent for whoever reads this.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus

When I'm speaking with somebody I focus on what they're saying, their body language, the people moving around and what they're saying, look at the sky, and at the same time choose which answer would be more fitting to answer to them, whether I should push, pull, complement, smile, laugh, be serious or just relax. Mostly after being in a social event the thoughts just flood my mind with different interpretations of things that happened, did this person get my intentions? Did I need to say something to that dude? Why did that girl say that? And then visuals just flood my mind and I can try to spot things I didn't even look at in my memory, I can fill in the blanks, though this can lead to many assumptions.
I just started drifting off into exactly that.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all

Ah, look at that, just answered this above.

If you speak more than one languages- which language do you verbalize in your mind

I had the same question asked to me about 13 years ago when I was camping with a friend's family, his dad is a forester so he invited us, about 4 friends, each year to come camp with them. Holy cow I've gone off topic, forgot what the question was. Anyway, his mom asked me a question which I found very to be very interesting, she asked me in what language I'm thinking, so I told her "When I'm speaking dutch with somebody, or am preparing to speak/ have just spoken, I'm thinking in Dutch, same goes for Hebrew and English. But I mostly think in English nowadays, I just like the language more. But again, when I visualize something I'm not really thinking verbally, it's too slow. I just have these glimpses of ideas, not even visuals sometimes, just an influx of a certain notion can make me change my actions or a whole concept. And it's really easy to add new information to my preexisting concepts, I do it pretty automatically when I find something to be smart/well thought out.

Today I had a teacher give me a one word tip on my design and a whole concept came forward that automatically integrated with the existing concept in my head, and it all makes so much sense, I don't get why the others aren't doing the same.
 
#59 ·
Very slowly, and not in any language at all for the most part, though I speak many.

I am close to having aphantasia so my thoughts are certainly not visual either. I can't say what they are, but closest to truth would probably be "whatever it is that comes before words, visuals and sounds".
 
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#61 ·
BEST-THREAD-EVER!!!!
@ai.tran.75 I wondered if you'd re-opened these for all the Keirsey types. It looks like @Fru2 found it.
You all should see Ai's summary just a few posts up.
I really did learn so much from this experience. Ai put these into each Keirsey type and the differences were just fascinating to me. Especially hearing from the SPs really was mind-blowing to me. Basically to figure out just how abstract my thoughts and imagination is and to really grow an appreciation for the things other types can do.
 
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#67 ·
How vivid are your imagination?
Not very

what senses can you feel or use when thinking about something ?
You don't use your senses when thinking about something lol...if i'm not concerntrated i will be focused on bodily sensations, comfort, how warm or cold it is, etc.

Is it more visual /verbal/audio ?
Audio? Basically trains of thought. I will visualise and remember things when neccessary. I am a visual learner probably.

Do multiple thoughts play out at once or are you more singular focus
Is it possible to have multiple thoughts? More like switching back and forth between two different things.

When conversing with somebody - what thoughts crosses your mind- do you have any thoughts at all
No not really. I just say things automatically. People don't usually give you a chance to collect your thoughts and all, so I feel like i'm relying on instinct.
 
#68 ·
Not very



You don't use your senses when thinking about something lol...if i'm not concerntrated i will be focused on bodily sensations, comfort, how warm or cold it is, etc.



Audio? Basically trains of thought. I will visualise and remember things when neccessary. I am a visual learner probably.



Is it possible to have multiple thoughts? More like switching back and forth between two different things.



No not really. I just say things automatically. People don't usually give you a chance to collect your thoughts and all, so I feel like i'm relying on instinct.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=1206138&share_fid=8106&share_type=t

I notice you're an isfp- perhaps this thread would be more relatable for you

It's quite common for Ne users to have multiple trains of thoughts running all at once, in fact i thought everyone was that way before I started these threads

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#74 ·
Sugoi @wums -san, ara, nande Nihon-desu?

Sorry, that's all I know and it's probably a broken sentence too.. watched too much anime as a teen. Could've something to do with the building up of my personality too, since my favorite characters were Naruto and Luffy, as banal as it sounds.
 
#75 ·
Haha, not bad. I actually got into it because I used to watch japanese dramas on youtube (back when people hardly had heard of youtube!) and from video games lol. But I did get into anime/manga and also jrock. Well too much time on the internet and it's unavoidable to encounter japanese these days. Us 4s especially tend to become weebs :laughing: it's one way of being "different."

One interesting thing about anime/manga is just how many examples of ENFP/INFJ relationships it has. It's a very common theme.
 
#76 ·
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#78 ·
@wums if you find this thread entertaining to read you should see the thread on the Sp and Sj section- it's so different yet amusing

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=1206138&share_fid=8106&share_type=t

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=1206146&share_fid=8106&share_type=t
☆ when you read a book - where does your mind travel to? Is your thoughts more visual /audio/abstract or does it take a break for a long while (curious )
Haha, yeah interesting. I asked an ISTP about this too and he said for him he focuses mainly on the one thing he's thinking about. So if you said imagine a bunny he would just imagine the bunny, not anything else, not even a background. For me I would imagine a whole scene that I just made up for no reason. The bunny in a field of grass by a fence on a windy summer day. I see things in whole scenes and he just sees the one specific detail or details that are relevant to what he's focusing on. He is way more interested in the specific details I am looking at a holistic inner simulation of reality.

I can't imagine having lots of thought trains going at once like Ne users, for me I'd just think... why?? What triggered all those different thoughts? It would drive me crazy. Lol. And the way Si can end up reliving the past, I don't get that either. My imagination is very detailed but completely under my control UNLESS I feel trapped by some Se situation I can't escape, then I start uncontrollably imagining scenarios of impending doom and how everything could go catastrophically bad. To me remembering the past is just simulating it just like I would simulate an imaginary scenario, but informed by the different details I remember about that past time. While the past feels real it also doesn't feel "personal" anymore... it's almost like it happened to a different version of me, I don't really feel a deeply personal connection to past me or the experiences of my past unless they have elements that are still important to me in the present.

For me when I read a book at first my mind will wander to things in my real life that I'm thinking about and I will find it hard to get absorbed into the book. It takes me a little while. I have to gradually get into the right trance state and get absorbed, then once I'm in that trance state I will just experience an ongoing simulation of what's happening in the book, just like watching a movie. I can't read fiction in public places or around others because I can't get into that trance state if there's interruptions.
 
#82 ·
@wums
How can you write a post while thinking of baking hot fudge brownies? I could never put my thoughts together if I was thinking of that! Ne is amazing. I think I understand better how you guys can be so involved in so many different things, if I think about it like that.s Ne-Si remember the specific taste? What I mean is, when you describe it are you describing a sense that you're already sensing that doesn't necessarily need words to describe? Or does the sensation come to you at the same time as the words?

In regards of having multiple thoughts running at once think of it this way...you're still able to type or have a conversation with music or a movie in the background right ?
My main thought is obviously more center - where as other thoughts are like the background-

I'm glad that you find this thread helpful:) I enjoy reading everyone responses quite much ' mainly bc it's so different how one mind work' what I didn't expect was how entirely different or similar it was

Onto remembering tastes- I believe I envision the scenario first and then the words comes to me as I'm describing a taste
For example - black olive have a similar texture in between a mushroom and a pickle, it tastes briny and savory with a hint of acidity aftertaste.
I think it depends on what I'm describing sometimes its hard to find words most of the time I can describe most things ( unsure if its cognitively related though)
I believe when it comes to recalling taste my fi and Si comes out to play more- bc I have to trac

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#83 ·
Back my memories to what I've experienced - then describe it - what about you ?
How visual can you remember an image of a person face?

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