I really don't know when or for how long I've assigned personality to numbers. I mentioned the other day that I've always viewed the number 8 as a dapper fellow and a couple of you asked to hear what I think of the rest of the the numbers. I'll play your game and answer your question. ;)
0 - male; wallflower; completely ignored; unsuspecting
1 - male; leader of the pack; steady and hard working; honest
2 - female; wallflower type; not a number that I really notice
3 - male; happy-go-lucky
4 - female; straight shooter; doesn't dilly dally around
5 - male; a jock, of sorts; no one really likes five; too popular
6 - male; dependable; reliable
7 - male; the perfect number; kind of guy everyone wants to marry
8 - male; dapper fellow with good manners but somewhat cheeky
9 - female; smart; independent
10 - male; the number family patriarch
I remember being in grade school and mentioning to a friend what each number's personality was. I remember her being curious but I didn't concentrate too deeply on her response. Numbers just are who they are and cannot be changed. I also remember being age nine or ten and staring at a street address, trying to figure out how that worked because the numbers weren't pared well and wouldn't necessarily get along. I did not think this was weird or unusual. I still don't. (Heh.)
Apparently noticing personalities in association with colors, numbers or letters has a name. It's called synesthesia. If you look at the wikipedia page it claims that this is a condition that is frequently inherited but can also be brought upon by drugs (hallucinations) or a stroke. I haven't had a stroke and I have never taken drugs in my life. I have no idea whether or not I inherited it. I seldom think about it. Numbers are what they are and I can't really change that and so we proceed about our daily business.
According to a different website, people with synesthesia are more likely to be left handed (I'm right-handed) and are of normal ("or possibly above average") intelligence. We needn't argue over such things. (ha!)
Other people with this "condition" include:
Franz Liszt
Duke Ellington
Itzhak Perlman
Stevie Wonder
Truly I don't really think much about it. I don't find it curious that I do this. But when I stop and think about it, it could be sort of funny. Hence I'm willing to post this. Enjoy. :)
That's pretty cool. :)
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted synesthesia, but, alas, I don't have it. Maybe I will get it after a stroke to enliven my old age.
ReplyDeleteI'm not at all surprised to discover that musicians seem prone to this.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't recall ever analyzing addresses, I definitely have assigned personalities to colors and numbers. Fun post!
Very cool. Wish I had something interesting like this. The closest I get is birthing 5 babies on Tuesdays through no choice of my own. :)
ReplyDeleteI think synesthesia is incredibly fascinating! I've known three people who have it in the form of physically seeing colors when they're hearing music, as if an instrument were emitting clouds of color (they always say the color is a mixture of colors they can't describe), which then floats about the room. I think I read (years ago when I was researching this) that the musicians you mentioned had this form of synesthesia.
ReplyDeleteI was under the impression that true synesthesia is only when the neural connections are unusually strong between the sight, aural, taste, and smell portions of the brain, as evidenced by a physical sensation such as tasting a strawberry flavor when looking at a certain person's face (as opposed to just thinking of strawberries). But apparently there ARE other forms of it! The associations just have to be consistent and involuntary, which seems to be true with you (and not quite as much with me)!
It looks like "Ordinal Linguistic Personification" is what you've got. Congratulations! I am only slightly envious. :)
My favorite number has always always been 2. I am a wall flower and even though I feel part of things/events, I later realize that I went unnoticed. Interesting!
ReplyDelete... on another thought, I like to use 9 in screen names and things. Perhaps this is how I want others to see me. You've figured me out!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of this - the name or the practice. There is a shortage of female numbers. :-)
ReplyDeleteLiszt...now that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Barbara about the shortage of female numbers :)
WHAT a FUN post!!! I love learning more about what makes my friends tick! I had never heard of this "condition" and am absolutely cracked up that you found the technical name for it AND examples of others who think like this. :)
ReplyDeleteI think I am a little jealous that I don't have synesthesia. It sounds quite fun and entertaining. I wish I saw colors when I heard music. I don't think, however, that I am going to wish for a stroke. I will be content with my boring ol' self! :)
I have to agree with Shonya! I'm a little jealous I don't have it! I even tried to imagine personalities with numbers in my mind, but no luck. ;) I don't want a stroke to experience it, though, so I won't wish for it too much.
ReplyDeleteI was very curious when you mentioned having this what personality the number 5 had. I imagine MY number 5 would have a better personality if I had this condition. ;)
I've always wanted to have synesthesia. I thought it would make me a better poet. I guess I'll just live vicariously through you. I can imagine shapes and colors to go along with numbers but I can't say that it flows that naturally.
ReplyDeleteI have synesthesia as well, although of a different form. Mine is colors related to individual people, as well as music and words. However, after a lifetime of suppressing it because it was "weird" or "wrong", it's faded a bit. Now that it's more accepted, I wish I'd have cultivated it instead! ;)
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