An Eidetic or Photographic Memory or Mind V

4. How do you think your eidetic ability to "see" things relates to intelligence? That is, is having an eidetic memory simply like having a strong right arm, or an ability to jump high--both of which may not at all be related to intelligence--or is it something like having a mind unlike other people, a mind superior in lots of ways?

"I struggled through high school with average grades, but once I learned to rely upon my visual skills, my intelligence climbed dramatically. I later pulled straight A’s in college. And, yes, the theater screen inside my mind became my “strong right arm.” When I don’t know something, I turn to the screen for help. I view all kinds of film until I find what I need. It’s similar to a computer compiling. All the movies I’ve made start flashing across the screen and I go in “search mode.”

-a superior type of mind? I refer to eidetic memory as having an advanced type of mind. I believe other people can achieve camcorder status if they apply the right techniques."

[My note--some of the researchers on memory may try to make the distinction between an 'effortless' eidetic memory, that is, one that isn't consciously 'trained,' and one that is cultivated or trained. I think such a distinction is worthless. It is like measuring someone's wealth by whether it was earned or inherited. It still is the same wealth.]

5. Let me speak about myself for a second before sharing the next question. The ability I (i.e., Bill Long) have is to be extremely precise in my memory, to have an enormous recall of factual and theoretical data and to be able to recall these at will so that I know more "facts" than people whose expertise is in a particular field once I take time to focus on learning these things. So my question is whether your eidetic ability enables you (or gives you interest) in mastering various areas in human knowledge, such as fields of intellectual inquiry, or literature, philosophy, etc...or is primarily used by you to help with the common tasks of life (such as learning about Walmart's arrangement of shelves...an example you gave)?

"My eidetic abilities enable me to master many things, especially the things I truly enjoy. Learning about the human brain fascinates me. I majored in psychology and my courses helped me to better understand how the brain functions. Best of all, with my eidetic mind, I filmed many pictures of the interior of the human brain. I’m not a squeamish ] person, so I don’t mind looking at pictures of the human body and its many organs. While I was in college, I had a voracious appetite for literature regarding the human mind. My curious nature drove me to devour and digest everything I could get my hands on. Later, during six years of severe hypergraphia [Note-Julie "suffered" from almost continuing writing from 1989-1995/96] everything I had filmed and learned showed up in my journals and stories. My memory system was overloaded with pictures, data, lectures, etc. and it poured out of my mind like a running faucet. I had gained access to all my files and I was inundated with knowledge. I refer to this process as “flooding.” Since that time, I’ve learned to “slow the flow” and keep the amount of knowledge coming in at a comfortable pace.

Besides being able to see “blue light specials” at Walmart, my eyes have captured sights I can’t even begin to describe. Slipping around inside my mind is like a magic carpet ride inside the cave of wonders."

6. Do you have "goals" for the use of your memory, or ways to use it in any particular area of writing? Is your hypergraphia related to your eidetic abilities (that is, do you write about what you see?).

"All my stories and cartoons are based upon my eidetic abilities. I compose and create from what I see. My goal is to publish some of my books and share the beautiful world of eidetic imagery. I would also like to publish a book I’ve written which is based on a serious subject.

Yes, my eidetic abilities, and hypnotic trance, triggers off my bouts with hypergraphia."

7. Does this eidetic ability give you corresponding analytic abilities in sorting out the images to arrive at levels of "truth" that you think are beneficial to others?

"Yes. Pondering with pictures is what I do best. Arriving at levels of “truth” is when one sees the world and everything in it from God’s point of view."

8. Do you see yourself, then, as an "exceptional" person or a person with "exceptional" gifts? Do your friends (do you have them?) accept your gift? Appreciate it? Seek to develop it themselves?

"Both. As far as friends go, I honestly don’t have any. I acknowledge people I know, but in recognition only. I live a very reclusive life. Not that I’m unfriendly, I just prefer to remain alone.

I understand very well what it’s like to be absorbed within one’s mind. I’ve lived inside mine almost my entire life. During my episodes of hypergraphia, everything around me fell apart. My children became unruly, the house was a shambles, laundry ascended to heights I never knew possible, bills went unpaid, errands didn’t get done, pets were ignored, dishes grew fungus, meals were burned and there were many missed appointments. And I wasn’t eating or sleeping to boot! I became engaged to my papermate and we had a very fluent affair. It nearly killed me to put my pen down to go take a shower! At the time, I was a single mother with five children and a pet shop inside my house, and a lust for writing like you wouldn’t believe! I often joked with my kids and told them that if I should die at my desk, to erect a headstone with this epitaph; here lies, Julie. Died from literary exposure and ink poisoning!"

As you might imagine, after I read and pondered these lines, I was left rather breathless. I knew I had bouts of hypergraphia, but I never allowed the mundane affairs of life to go unatttended. But then, in the next email, Julie told me something else about herself....

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