Hyperfixed – “Third Eye Blind”

Host: Alex Goldman
Released: August 28, 2025
Podcast Network: Radiotopia

Episode Overview

This episode of Hyperfixed explores the fascinating neurological condition of aphantasia—the inability to visualize images in the mind’s eye. Listener Mitchell, a 30-year-old software engineer, reaches out wanting to know if his experience of “seeing blackness” when he closes his eyes can be changed, and if missing this so-called “third eye” is holding him back in meaningful ways. Through a mix of personal stories and expert interviews, host Alex Goldman unpacks what aphantasia is, how it’s studied, whether it needs to be “fixed,” and the profound implications it has for memory, empathy, and emotional life.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Meet Mitchell and His Annoyance (04:49–11:57)

• Mitchell’s Profile: Recently bought a house, happily married, dog dad, writes software for spacecraft—but something feels missing.
• Mitchell’s Experience:
  • “For as long as I remember, I’ve been unable to see things in my mind’s eye. Doesn’t matter if it’s an apple or my dog Nala or satellites I work on… Mostly what I see is blackness.” (05:54)
  • Growing up, assumed everyone else was the same.
  • Only realized the difference after conversations with his wife about visualizing things.
• Key Realization:
  • “I totally recognize my friends… whenever I see them, like, I know people’s faces. I just, like, if you ask me to, like, think about it, I can’t quite pull it up… the one that really bothers me is my dad…” (09:26–10:03)

Notable Quote:

“I like that idea of carrying the people that you love with you. And it seems weird to me that I can’t do that in… that aspect, you know?”
—Mitchell (10:03)

2. What Is Aphantasia? Scientific and Personal History (11:57–22:20)

• First Expert: Dr. Adam Zeman, neurologist at University of Exeter
  • Outlines that until recently, neurology didn’t know how to measure the “mind’s eye.”
  • Functional MRI now shows that visualizing uses the brain’s visual cortex, but in reverse compared to seeing.
• Case Study Origin:
  • In 2005, Dr. Zeman encounters a patient who lost his mental imagery after a heart procedure—a rare, documented change.
  • This patient could still perform tasks usually requiring visualization (“letters with a tail”)—suggesting aphantasia is a difference, not a deficit.
• Naming & Prevalence:
  • Zeman coins “aphantasia” in 2015 after multiple people contacted him describing lifelong absence of mental imagery.
  • “Since 2015, when we coined the term, I’ve had about 20,000 people get in touch…” (21:57)
  • Estimated 3–4% of people have aphantasia (congenital or lifelong).

Notable Quote:

“Lacking mental imagery is not a deficit, it’s not even a handicap... it is just a different way of processing.”
—Alex Goldman (19:45)

3. The Mechanics and Science Behind Visualization (13:32–17:20)

• Visualizing vs. Seeing:
  • Seeing: Eyes → Visual Cortex → Semantic Integration.
  • Visualizing: Semantic Knowledge → Visual Cortex (in reverse)—“a kind of echo of perception.” (15:24)
• Aphantasia’s Neurology:
  • All parts (vision, memory) may work independently, but the “top-down” control—connecting and integrating for voluntary imagery—doesn’t.
  • People with larger visual cortexes are, interestingly, less likely to visualize vividly; top-down control is harder.

4. Can Aphantasia Be Fixed? Ethics & Potential Interventions (26:04–31:43)

• Potential "Cure":
  • Neuroscientist Joel Pearson discusses transcranial direct current stimulation: electrical patch stimulation can boost existing imagery for some.
  • But: “We didn’t have any people with aphantasia as participants. Now, would that work with someone who has no mental imagery? We don’t yet know… there’s an interesting ethical issue there about giving people imagery they may not be able to control.” (26:56)
• Downsides of Mental Imagery:
  • People with strong imagery show more empathy (donate more to charity when reading stories, etc).
  • But, also more prone to anxiety and PTSD; intrusive, emotionally laden flashbacks and vivid memories.
  • Emotional experiences become more intense for both good and bad events.

Notable Quote:

“If you have strong mental imagery, you’re way more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, after going through some kind of trauma… one of the defining features of PTSD is these uncontrollable, traumatic sort of flashbacks, which are memory and their imagery.”
—Joel Pearson (29:25)

5. Aphantasia: Deficit or Difference? Implications for Life & Work (22:20–24:00, 27:22–31:43)

• Job Performance:
  • Mitchell worries he’d be mightier at his spacecraft job with visualization, but data suggests people with aphantasia often thrive in STEM.
• No Detriment:
  • “…people with Aphantasia tend to gravitate toward careers in STEM. So if Mitchell had mental imagery, then statistically speaking, it’s less likely that he would have pursued that type of work…” (24:00)
• Experts Agree:
  • “Aphantasia is not something that needs to be fixed. It’s a variation on experience that actually comes with some major upsides.” (31:15–31:43)

6. The Real “Fix”: Alternative Forms of Memory & Imagination (33:57–37:44)

• Not All Aphantasia = Total Sensory Blindness
  • It may just be visual; people may imagine sound, taste, or smell just fine.
• Mitchell Discovers:
  • He can hear songs in his head: “Yeah, absolutely. Yes.” (34:33)
  • Emma, the producer, suggests he focus on “hearing” his dad instead of picturing him.
  • She shares her own story: “Just because you can’t see your dad’s face doesn’t mean you can’t carry him with you, you know? So just focus on the things that you can carry and he’ll be there.” (36:59)
• Mitchell’s Response:
  • Finds comfort in being able to “hear” his father’s unique way of saying goodbye.

Notable Quote:

“It’s the sound of his father's voice when he says goodbye at the end of a phone call. Something he can hear whenever he wants and carry around with him wherever he goes.”
—Alex Goldman (37:31)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• [10:03] “I like that idea of carrying the people that you love with you. And it seems weird to me that I can’t do that in… that aspect, you know?” —Mitchell
• [15:24] “When you visualize, you kind of start with your knowledge…there’s a kind of echo of perception, if you like.” —Adam Zeman
• [19:45] “Lacking mental imagery is not a deficit, it’s not even a handicap…it is just a different way of processing.” —Alex Goldman
• [21:57] “Since 2015, when we coined the term, I’ve had about 20,000 people get in touch…” —Adam Zeman
• [29:25] “If you have strong mental imagery, you’re way more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, after going through some kind of trauma…” —Joel Pearson
• [36:59] “Just because you can’t see your dad’s face doesn’t mean you can’t carry him with you, you know? So just focus on the things that you can carry and he’ll be there.” —Emma Cortland

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Mitchell describes his experience: 05:26–10:30
• Introduction to aphantasia: 11:04–11:57
• Adam Zeman explains the neuroscience: 12:33–17:20
• Story of patient zero (aphantasia discovery): 17:20–20:56
• Naming and prevalence: 20:56–22:20
• Correlation with career & life: 22:20–24:00
• Intervention possibilities & ethical concerns: 26:04–27:22
• Imagery’s double-edged sword for emotion: 27:58–31:00
• Follow-up with Mitchell & alternate forms of memory: 32:38–37:44

Episode Takeaways

• Aphantasia isn’t a malfunction—it’s a variation on human experience. Many never know they have it.
• The ability (or not) to “see” with the mind’s eye doesn’t determine success, creativity, or fulfillment.
• Attempts to “fix” aphantasia are fraught—vivid mental imagery is linked to both emotional richness and psychological suffering.
• Even if you can’t picture a loved one’s face, you can carry them in other sensory or emotional ways; connection transcends imagery.

For more on aphantasia, visit hyperfixedpod.com.