205
"You don't remember me do you?" is one of the most embarrassing things to hear when meeting someone for what you think is the first time. (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 week ago by to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
64 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [S] 6 points 6 days ago (1 child)

I'm not sure if you've already heard this a bunch, but it needs said often for anyone who has this experience:

People without face blindness constantly struggle to recognize and remember faces. The idea that most people recognize anyone and everyone they've previously met (and remember their names!) is a complete myth.

I've gotten really good at remembering names and faces though practice and techniques like writing down everyone I meet in a notes app, and I still have like a 60% success rate on second encounters after more than a week.

My solution for the other 40%? If I'm not totally confident someone is new to me, I introduce myself with "Hi! Apologies, have we met?"

Works great.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] [S] 7 points 6 days ago

    It's good to mention, because often people will say "I'm really bad at remembering faces too!", and it has kinda stopped me from mentioning it to anyone who isn't very close with me already

    I was dating a girl once, and she cut her hair short after about a year into our relationship. She came to surprise me at work, and I just stared at her blankly, wondering what this "customer" wanted. Until she said "hello?", and I immediately recognized her voice

    I've come to understand that my brain just doesn't process faces the same, I recognize traits instead (a natural way to cope). I can recognize people from how they walk better than most, but the face by itself doesn't really trigger any recognition. Hard to explain, but it's a little more pronounced than just being bad at remembering faces

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent