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There's a higher level of photographic memory that very few people are capable of. Those that can call on demand images of the past at will. I've met one, and k

There's a higher level of photographic memory that very few people are capable of. Those that can call on demand images of the past at will. I've met one, and knew of a teacher who knew one. Like the author of this article stated. It can be a curse, nightmares and things they don't want to remember stick with them. Forever. Although a lot of people also have really great memory, which can arguably said to be "somewhat photographic" as the author said. In which case, I do as well. I cannot agree that being able to walk through a previous scene with a bird's eye view is part of being photographic memory though. I think that as just powerful spatial visualization combined with good memory.

regal 13y ago
Agreed. I'm 30 years old and I can still visualize everything about my grade school schoolyard from a "bird's eye view" quite easily (can even do this with the apartment I moved out of and never saw again after 3.5 years old, and the grounds outside it) - never been accused of having photographic memory. The author seems to be discussing more a "very good" memory mixed with a fixation on the past - e.g., feeling hurt that others don't remember what you remember means the past has some special importance for him/her. I recall plenty of things that happen that other people soon forget, but it never bothers me. I realized as a child I had to pretend to forget things, otherwise people would think it was bizarre I remembered so much about them that they'd forgotten ever telling me. As I've gotten older and had less free time to think / worked crazier hours and ruminated on people and the past less, this tendency to remember lots of small details has receded (though still much stronger than other people's I meet). I'm pretty sure if I started thinking about the past often enough again though, it'd make a quick return to being as proficient at recalling numerous tiny details from the deep past as it was before.

regal 13y ago

Agreed. I'm 30 years old and I can still visualize everything about my grade school schoolyard from a "bird's eye view" quite easily (can even do this with the apartment I moved out of and never saw again after 3.5 years old, and the grounds outside it) - never been accused of having photographic memory. The author seems to be discussing more a "very good" memory mixed with a fixation on the past - e.g., feeling hurt that others don't remember what you remember means the past has some special importance for him/her. I recall plenty of things that happen that other people soon forget, but it never bothers me. I realized as a child I had to pretend to forget things, otherwise people would think it was bizarre I remembered so much about them that they'd forgotten ever telling me. As I've gotten older and had less free time to think / worked crazier hours and ruminated on people and the past less, this tendency to remember lots of small details has receded (though still much stronger than other people's I meet). I'm pretty sure if I started thinking about the past often enough again though, it'd make a quick return to being as proficient at recalling numerous tiny details from the deep past as it was before.