Synesthesia
Certain individuals are born with or develop at some point in their lives synesthesia, the condition we mentioned in class in which stimulation from one sense produces experiences in a totally different sense. In 2013, NPR posted an interesting article titled Some People Can Really Taste the Rainbow describing the rarity of the condition. Although a 1 to 27 ratio for those with synesthesia seems pretty rare, the author of the article describes an even bigger peculiarity-- having sensory crossovers that affect ones sense of taste. In fact, experiencing this type of synesthesia can be attributed to only one percent of synesthetes.
The author, a synesthete herself, mentions eye-opening accounts of a few synesthetes that comprise this one percent. Their experiences are truly staggering and may seem a bit hallucinatory but considering the psychological research performed on this condition, I believe that this is one of the most direct connections between the physical and the immaterial. Jamie Smith, a synthetic sommelier, smells in both colors and shapes. Jaime often describes his visions as an "added dimension," of textures and colors. In fact, when asked about a white wine like Nosiola, Smith described it as having a "beautiful aquamarine, flowy, kind of wavy color to it."
Taria Camerino best defines a rather extreme case of synesthesia in which she tastes music, colors, shapes, and people's emotions. Because she literally experiences everything through taste, she has a hard time remembering what things look or sound like because she can only describe things based on their synthetic taste. The disconnectedness she experiences daily can be best understood when she admits to the reader that she no longer remembers what the color green looks like but can tell you what it tastes like.
Based off of these two examples, I cannot help but wonder how this condition affects the biology and social life of the synesthete. I know there are links between synesthesia and creativity but how do those affected by this condition convey their personal experiences to others first, in a way that they will be understood and second, in a deep enough way to spark any type of relationship with another person?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/03/12/174132392/synesthetes-really-can-taste-the-rainbow
The author, a synesthete herself, mentions eye-opening accounts of a few synesthetes that comprise this one percent. Their experiences are truly staggering and may seem a bit hallucinatory but considering the psychological research performed on this condition, I believe that this is one of the most direct connections between the physical and the immaterial. Jamie Smith, a synthetic sommelier, smells in both colors and shapes. Jaime often describes his visions as an "added dimension," of textures and colors. In fact, when asked about a white wine like Nosiola, Smith described it as having a "beautiful aquamarine, flowy, kind of wavy color to it."
Taria Camerino best defines a rather extreme case of synesthesia in which she tastes music, colors, shapes, and people's emotions. Because she literally experiences everything through taste, she has a hard time remembering what things look or sound like because she can only describe things based on their synthetic taste. The disconnectedness she experiences daily can be best understood when she admits to the reader that she no longer remembers what the color green looks like but can tell you what it tastes like.
Based off of these two examples, I cannot help but wonder how this condition affects the biology and social life of the synesthete. I know there are links between synesthesia and creativity but how do those affected by this condition convey their personal experiences to others first, in a way that they will be understood and second, in a deep enough way to spark any type of relationship with another person?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/03/12/174132392/synesthetes-really-can-taste-the-rainbow
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