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Aphantasia Logo
Back to all discussions
Community

Join the conversation and share your experiences with the community.

Start a Discussion
Discussion Guidelines

Please remember to:

  • • Be respectful and constructive
  • • Share your personal experiences
  • • Ask questions if you're curious
  • • Help others feel welcome
You're not alone

Talk to counselors, coaches, and educators who already understand aphantasia — so you don't have to start by explaining what it is.

Find aphantasia-aware support
Aphantasia Logo

Building awareness and understanding of aphantasia through research, education, and community support.

About

  • What is Aphantasia?
  • What is Hyperphantasia?
  • Take Assessment
  • Getting Started
  • Newsletter
  • About Us
  • Contact

Community

  • Premium Membership
  • Find support
  • Discussions
  • Events
  • Visualize

For Professionals

  • Overview
  • Free Introduction
  • Counselor Training
  • Educator Training
  • List Your Practice
  • Pricing & Bundles

Resources

  • Articles & Stories
  • Videos & Interviews
  • Aphantasia Course
  • FAQs

Research

  • Research Library
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© 2026 Aphantasia Network. All rights reserved.

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Perfect Forgetfulness: A Powerful Manifestation of God’s Mercy?

September 25, 20232 min readByPatrick Dooley
Stories
My research has recently taken a very interesting turn. And I have ended up in theology. I am currently advocating for those with poor memory (Aphantasia, SDAM and ASD). I have been advocating for those with poor memory for nearly 15 years. I have become tired of advocating for a negative trait, so I decided to do a little exercise in marketing and improve my pitch. I came up with the expression "Perfect Forgetfulness". I am claiming that those with Perfect Forgetfulness are the best at solving complex problems. It is a rather unique term. And in the context that I am using it, I am the first. But it has been used before. It has been used to describe God's Mercy. As somebody who is very interested in Social Justice and improving the world, I found this extremely interesting. I am coming to suspect/believe that God's Mercy is physically manifesting in a very critical way in people with extremely poor memory. I am a devout Roman Catholic. I sincerely believe that the age that we live is in serious crisis. I also believe that we are suffering this crisis because we have turned our back on God - wittingly or unwittingly. I do not think that it is a coincidence that at a time when Perfect Memory is idolized, society is unable to resolve the complex problems facing us. God has given us the solution to resolve these complex problems and that solution is his mercy - Perfect Forgetfulness. Perfect Memory has become the sole criteria for intelligence and the one trait that guaranties one's success in the world. I believe that if one only develops their memory and does not develop their forgetfulness, they become machines or even worse beasts. They become easy to program. Their lives become instinctual. I am beginning to suspect that this is the intention of Satan. The one thing that makes us human - the ability to design/model/art/philosophize has been completely denigrated, and we have become his slaves.

Perfect Forgetfulness: A Powerful Manifestation of God’s Mercy?

September 25, 20232 min readByPatrick Dooley
Stories
My research has recently taken a very interesting turn. And I have ended up in theology. I am currently advocating for those with poor memory (Aphantasia, SDAM and ASD). I have been advocating for those with poor memory for nearly 15 years. I have become tired of advocating for a negative trait, so I decided to do a little exercise in marketing and improve my pitch. I came up with the expression "Perfect Forgetfulness". I am claiming that those with Perfect Forgetfulness are the best at solving complex problems. It is a rather unique term. And in the context that I am using it, I am the first. But it has been used before. It has been used to describe God's Mercy. As somebody who is very interested in Social Justice and improving the world, I found this extremely interesting. I am coming to suspect/believe that God's Mercy is physically manifesting in a very critical way in people with extremely poor memory. I am a devout Roman Catholic. I sincerely believe that the age that we live is in serious crisis. I also believe that we are suffering this crisis because we have turned our back on God - wittingly or unwittingly. I do not think that it is a coincidence that at a time when Perfect Memory is idolized, society is unable to resolve the complex problems facing us. God has given us the solution to resolve these complex problems and that solution is his mercy - Perfect Forgetfulness. Perfect Memory has become the sole criteria for intelligence and the one trait that guaranties one's success in the world. I believe that if one only develops their memory and does not develop their forgetfulness, they become machines or even worse beasts. They become easy to program. Their lives become instinctual. I am beginning to suspect that this is the intention of Satan. The one thing that makes us human - the ability to design/model/art/philosophize has been completely denigrated, and we have become his slaves.
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William Hoggmascall•recently•edited
This is not factual research or scientific in any way. What you are describing is 'musing'/'theorizing'. I would suggest you actually read what people who have devoted their lives to studying the things you talk about & expand your knowledge instead of making up conjecture in your head or amongst non-experts. The world would be more creative, loving and free if we all sought deeper understanding and knowledge from those that have it. And not go to action on our own internal ideas, filled with biases as the always are.
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Charles Peck•recently•edited
I have the trait known as aphantasia, which renders me unable to conjure mental images, yet it does not impair my memory. Despite lacking the ability to visualize, my cognitive capacity rivals that of individuals unaffected by aphantasia. Rather than viewing aphantasia as a dysfunction, I perceive it as a distinctive trait. Having retired from a profession demanding adept multitasking, I maintain that blanket categorizations of negative attributes fail to accommodate individuals with diverse methods of memorization and information processing.
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