Scott Alexander explores the idea that people might be missing universal human experiences without realizing it, using examples from various senses and personal anecdotes.
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Scott Alexander explores the concept of missing universal human experiences without realizing it. He starts with Galton's experiments on visual imagination, then discusses a conversation about food preferences, and shares stories about anosmia and color blindness. He reflects on his own experiences with asexuality and emotional blunting from SSRIs. The post concludes by questioning whether differences in experiences, like appreciating jazz music, might have biological roots rather than just social ones.
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