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Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

scientificamerican.com

111–120 of 151 posts

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#111
post #104
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry about your memory problem, but I think you're being a little sensitive. OP's point was simple: if you believe in yourself, you'll be in a better position to succeed. No, this doesn't guarantee success. But it's better than not believing you can. You're correct, your crippled grandma won't be able to walk because she believes she can. Unfortunately that wasn't OP's point.

[deleted]

The point was anyone can improve themselves by believing they can. Anyone can do that. While your nitpick is technically true, it serves little purpose besides inflating your under compensated ego. This seems to be a recurring theme on HN, where people point out irrelevant nitpicks as if I couldn't do that myself.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#112
post #45

In many cases, thinking that we are limited is itself a limiting factor. I've noticed this is true in ever facet of my life. When I was 14, I memorized pi to 50 digits with almost no effort. Later, I memorized it to 100, then 200. I realized at that point that I could memorize anything that I wanted to. I memorize phone numbers, credit card numbers, everything with almost no effort and not using any mnemonic device.…

I'm happy you have this ability, but suggesting that everyone else just isn't living up to their potential because of some mental block that you have supposedly (and accidentally) overcome is, perhaps, limiting your compassion. You are very lucky to have an exceptional memory; others are not so lucky, and must work hard to do what costs you no effort. Supposing they just aren't trying hard enough or are succumbing to…

I underwent a formal psychological evaluation a few years ago, my shrink informed me that I have incredibly bad memory (I was ranking in at 1-2 percentile for two or three different memory tests). But yet, I've also been able to memorize pi to about 50 digits, I've memorized the entire periodic table, and I've memorized whole poems in Latin (despite knowing very little Latin).

The thing I've found to be true in my case is that I do have bad memory in general -- but this is because of the unique childhood I had: I was never forced to memorize anything. I've a habit of referencing my smartphone when I need to know what someone's phonenumber is, I've a habit of looking at address books and maps to know where someone is, instead of making a concerted effort to think where they live beforehand. My brother-in-law is the opposite of me: he purposely avoids using his smartphone/GPS, and instead looks at Google Maps directions before taking off for the trip... and relies on it with memory. I asked him why he did that instead of just using the GPS that he does have and he straight up told me he does these things for memory exercises. So now, at least for the past few months, I've also been making a concerted effort in improving my memory and I've found that I can do these incredible things... I can memorize pi to 100 digit, I can memorize pages of books that are in a language I barely understand -- despite my shrink telling me that I have terrible memory.

So I don't think 300bps's comment was offensive at all. Memory is very much a skill that can be improved with dedicated effort. I'm someone who long believed until recently that I had bad memory and I had to deal with it... but this is not true, I can do mental exercises to improve it. Research has proved time and again that learning new languages, new musical instruments, etc. are great exercises to keep the mind/memory sharp. I implore you to look into the idea: use little tricks, read the book "Moonwalking with Einstein" (it's about memorizing things in fun ways), take about a week to memorize digits of pi (spend about 10 hours, I'd say -- use various techniques (which you can read up on online)), and get back to us. See if you truly can or can't memorize pi to the 50th (or even 100th) digit if you really put the effort to it. The more you do it, the more your ability will improve. If it takes you 5 hours the first time around to remember some 50 digits, it'll take you just one hour the next 50th time you do it.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#113
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

The point was anyone can improve themselves by believing they can. Anyone can do that. While your nitpick is technically true, it serves little purpose besides inflating your under compensated ego. This seems to be a recurring theme on HN, where people point out irrelevant nitpicks as if I couldn't do that myself.

[deleted]

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#114
post #45

In many cases, thinking that we are limited is itself a limiting factor. I've noticed this is true in ever facet of my life. When I was 14, I memorized pi to 50 digits with almost no effort. Later, I memorized it to 100, then 200. I realized at that point that I could memorize anything that I wanted to. I memorize phone numbers, credit card numbers, everything with almost no effort and not using any mnemonic device.…

I'm happy you have this ability, but suggesting that everyone else just isn't living up to their potential because of some mental block that you have supposedly (and accidentally) overcome is, perhaps, limiting your compassion. You are very lucky to have an exceptional memory; others are not so lucky, and must work hard to do what costs you no effort. Supposing they just aren't trying hard enough or are succumbing to…

I suspect your concept of memory is incorrect. Outside of rare people with deep automatic synaesthesia or other sever mental differences, I don't think there's much variation in different peoples' inherent "ability to remember". People aren't generally better or worse at remembering things by some innate property of their brain. It is a skill, and one can practice and improve at it, and there are lots of very powerful memory techniques, especially including specific problems like "memorizing digits".

I strongly recommend the book "Moonwalking with Einstein" which was very enlightening for me.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#115
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

The point was anyone can improve themselves by believing they can. Anyone can do that. While your nitpick is technically true, it serves little purpose besides inflating your under compensated ego. This seems to be a recurring theme on HN, where people point out irrelevant nitpicks as if I couldn't do that myself.

Here's the lesson: if you have a point to make, please don't fit in extraneous claims, which are much debated themselves, into your argument or comment. It's not hard to see that they can be confused as being part of your point.

> This seems to be a recurring theme on HN, where people point out irrelevant nitpicks as if I couldn't do that myself.

I will say this again: there is nothing wrong with nitpicking. If you can't be technically correct, then you're not correct.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#116
post #109
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I apologize for any offense and hope things get better for you. Just FYI, that can also come across as being belittling. I am not being sarcastic and I can see the ambiguity would be confusing, but that seems like a polite way of saying '&!#$ you', I hope you get better . At memorizing?

Just imagine how great at offending people I would be if I tried to offend them! I apologize in advance for the inevitable offense you will take from this comment.

It did turn into a contentious topic rather quickly, huh? :)

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#117
post #108
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh you're just being so silly now. Here is my original comment: I'm convinced anyone can do this and the major thing stopping them is their belief that they can't do it. Here is how I am comfortable revising it for the offended sticklers in this thread: I'm convinced anyone (of typical mental capacity) can do this and the major thing stopping them is their belief that they can't do it.

I'm asking you to be rigorous with your claims. And there's nothing wrong with being pedantic. If you can't respond to questions without getting defensive, please grow up.

I'm just writing to let you know your insulting responses have earned you no further replies from me. I invite you to reconsider how you write to people on the internet and perhaps avoid writing things like, "grow up."

This thread has given me more karma than your entire account has received in its existence. I think it's clear there is a vocal minority of people who are posting a half-dozen comments each in this thread while the vast majority at least don't find what I'm saying as offensive as you apparently do.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#118
post #117
post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm asking you to be rigorous with your claims. And there's nothing wrong with being pedantic. If you can't respond to questions without getting defensive, please grow up.

I'm just writing to let you know your insulting responses have earned you no further replies from me. I invite you to reconsider how you write to people on the internet and perhaps avoid writing things like, "grow up." This thread has given me more karma than your entire account has received in its existence. I think it's clear there is a vocal minority of people who are posting a half-dozen comments each in this thr…

>This thread has given me more karma than your entire account has received in its existence.

Oh my goodness! What was the point of saying that, really?

>I think it's clear there is a vocal minority of people who are posting a half-dozen comments each in this thread while the vast majority at least don't find what I'm saying as offensive as you apparently do.

I don't find this offensive. I'm just asking you to be technically correct with what you say, or to at least address the people who are confused by what you're saying. Apparently, that's too high of a standard for you to live up to.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#119
post #45

In many cases, thinking that we are limited is itself a limiting factor. I've noticed this is true in ever facet of my life. When I was 14, I memorized pi to 50 digits with almost no effort. Later, I memorized it to 100, then 200. I realized at that point that I could memorize anything that I wanted to. I memorize phone numbers, credit card numbers, everything with almost no effort and not using any mnemonic device.…

I'm happy you have this ability, but suggesting that everyone else just isn't living up to their potential because of some mental block that you have supposedly (and accidentally) overcome is, perhaps, limiting your compassion. You are very lucky to have an exceptional memory; others are not so lucky, and must work hard to do what costs you no effort. Supposing they just aren't trying hard enough or are succumbing to…

If this response by devindotcom was really "irrelevant nitpicking", then there is an easy solution to that: correct yourself immediately and be very explicit about it. The remainder of this branch could have been avoided completely.

300bps didn't do that though. So did he/she actually mean what was said? Well no, because 10 minutes later your criticisms will be dismissed as [strikethrough]pedantry[/strikethrough] silliness.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#120
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm happy you have this ability, but suggesting that everyone else just isn't living up to their potential because of some mental block that you have supposedly (and accidentally) overcome is, perhaps, limiting your compassion. You are very lucky to have an exceptional memory; others are not so lucky, and must work hard to do what costs you no effort. Supposing they just aren't trying hard enough or are succumbing to…

I'm not sure if you read my comment before becoming offended by it. Your response makes it all about me, but I specifically mentioned other people being surprised by their own memorization capabilities after I asked them to consider that maybe they're more capable of memorizing numbers than they believed. Your comment also says that I memorize through "no effort" when I stated, "almost no effort" which is > "no effor…

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