Sunday, February 6, 2011

Are You a Synesthete?

Well, I am. I have synesthesia. It's not a serious or debilitating condition for me fortunately, just a little quirk I have to deal with occasionally.

Synesthesia is a condition where your senses get a little mixed up. Music might cause a person to see colors. With me, certain textures cause me to experience taste. Yep, touch and taste get a little mixed up.

I don't taste everything I touch. Usually rough surfaces provoke the response. Sandpaper has a range of tastes. Rough sandpaper tastes different than relatively smooth sand paper. Cardboard nail files are the worst tasting thing I have ever touched...they get me a little nauseous (it tastes extremely bitter). Tools with rubber handles frequently provoke a taste response. So do car tires, especially if I run my fingers over the tread. My cell phone case tastes rather pleasant fortunately! Fortunately most everyday objects do not provoke a taste (or it could be that I am used to them).

Estimates are that a few percent of the population experiences some form of synesthesia. Anyone else here ever get their senses mixed up?

4 comments:

kkdither said...

You must have been on the road, hale.

http://www.jtirregulars.com/2011/01/name-that-color-and-scent.html

OrbsCorbs said...

I can't imagine tasting things I touch. What does touching tires taste like? Ever since I was a kid, I've liked the smell of new tires. The old Mid West Auto Stores stunk of new tires.

hale-bopp said...

I was traveling at that time (Photonics West). Looks like at least one other person experiences a form of it as well.

Tire tread is kind of salty. Fortunately, I don't taste most things I touch...that would be really distracting!

Huck Finn said...

Oh man... I'm thinking Gourmet cook for folks afflicted. Each course comes with a different texture napkin. Rough muslin, fine silk, raspy paper, and a nice cloth for nuances of taste. The crystal goblets would be hand cut with different textures on their sides, and maybe even special silverware for each course.