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Blind Woman Shares How People Explained Colors To Her When She Was Little, Other People Try Explaining Them Too
Most of us take color for granted. It’s one of the most important features we use to describe how things look, but you’ll probably go blank if you try to describe what makes something green. If you’ve ever had that classic debate about whether “my red is your red”, you’ve probably realized that when you try to describe something from your own visual perception, any comparison you make is… also from your visual perception.
That sounds slightly confusing already, so let’s talk about how we can describe colors, or at least try to. Recently, someone started a Twitter thread asking how to explain colors to a blind person who has absolutely no visual reference. Some of the resources that rolled in, like a blog post from someone who was born with no light perception and gained it surgically later in life, and a children’s book describing color through raised print and similes, are fascinating and poetic.
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Someone found a post about how a blind person had colors described to her
Image credits: tarrrj
Image credits: The Cut
Image credits: The Cut
Image credits: The Cut
The post reminded Twitter users of other pieces of writing they had seen
Image credits: heckdgehog
Image credits: bubbumbubblegum
Image credits: heruntoldstories
One commenter makes a great point, though: that our emotional associations with color are subjective, as is color symbolism from one culture to another. For years, designers have had to be careful with the colors that they use to market products internationally, because while a fiery color like red may put people in high spirits in the West, someone from a Middle Eastern culture that considers red a warning sign would probably think of it with apprehension.
Commenters appreciate the writing but doubt it’s possible to describe colors objectively
Image credits: _muslimah_h
Image credits: KarolineAnukhet
Image credits: PinkTingz
The abstract nature of the descriptions struck a chord with some commenters who tried their hand at writing their own. Some of them are pretty relatable—if you live somewhere far north, you’re probably having a lot of grey days right now—while some people went wild with the format and ventured into absurdity and parody.
Here are how some commenters would describe colors, for better or worse
What do you think ?
Phoebe Bean 5 years ago
So beautiful. I close my eyes after reading the description of these colors and sort of recreate the sensation. Quite nice.
Alice Laughs 5 years ago
Imagine I put you under a heat lamp and smack with you a smelly fish.
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Parmeisan 5 years ago
The description of black is wrong. Blind people don't see black - it's not like closing your eyes. Actually someone explained to me the other day, it's kind of like if you close one eye you see black out of that eye, but if you keep it closed and keep looking around eventually you stop noticing the black. That's what blind people see - nothing at all - only out of both eyes.
Batty 5 years ago
Actually, it's kinda rare to be completely, absolutely, 100% blind. A lot can sense light & shade but not distinct shapes. Some can see a faint blur of color. People who are 100% blind have absolutely no sensory input from their eyes. The best description I've read says it's like trying to see through the sole of your foot; there's just no visual information.
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tuzdayschild 5 years ago
Sit outside on a hot day. When a breeze come by, spritz your face with a mist of water. The combination of the breeze and the mist of water is Aqua Blue.
Phoebe Bean 5 years ago
So beautiful. I close my eyes after reading the description of these colors and sort of recreate the sensation. Quite nice.
Alice Laughs 5 years ago
Imagine I put you under a heat lamp and smack with you a smelly fish.
Load More Replies... Parmeisan 5 years ago
The description of black is wrong. Blind people don't see black - it's not like closing your eyes. Actually someone explained to me the other day, it's kind of like if you close one eye you see black out of that eye, but if you keep it closed and keep looking around eventually you stop noticing the black. That's what blind people see - nothing at all - only out of both eyes.
Batty 5 years ago
Actually, it's kinda rare to be completely, absolutely, 100% blind. A lot can sense light & shade but not distinct shapes. Some can see a faint blur of color. People who are 100% blind have absolutely no sensory input from their eyes. The best description I've read says it's like trying to see through the sole of your foot; there's just no visual information.
Load More Replies... tuzdayschild 5 years ago
Sit outside on a hot day. When a breeze come by, spritz your face with a mist of water. The combination of the breeze and the mist of water is Aqua Blue.
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