Sunday, January 25, 2009

Familiarity Factor

Don't I know you from somewhere before

Do you ever notice that there are some people that you recognize and never bother to learn what their name is. These embarrassing situations are not entirely your fault. Sometimes you get to know someone and never ask their name. Other times you may recognize someone but never talked to them. In either case— the term "Familiarity Factor" comes into play.

So often I find myself seeing people in other locals and wonder… "where do I know them from"? The sense of recognition is so strong that we must tell ourselves that we know them well— but then are perplexed when we can't think of either their name or where we know them from. What is even more embarrassing is when you have to introduce someone— but have forgotten what their name is as well as where you know that person from. Sometimes our pride gets in the way and we neglect to pull the person aside and ask… which makes it even more embarrassing.

I have taken public transportation for many years now. Because of this I tend to see people standing on the platform or riding on the train— but never speak to them. One would think that you would know the difference between someone you have spoken to and someone you haven't— but I think that the more you see someone the stronger the familiarity becomes. This gets you into trouble when you "think" you know someone and are forced to introduce them. You are then convinced that you do know them and then realize that they don't know you at all… (or never bothered to notice).

I wish that I could have some "personal-assistant" by my side whispering in my ear… "That's Jane Doe— you never ever spoke to her and don't know her real name because you only saw her on the train platform twenty years ago when you were in college".

12 comments:

B said...

A PA for that reason would be great. I've had these moments, but the funniest being someone who swore they knew me, but I swore I never met them in my life. Of course the simple fact that they knew nothing about me sort of made me not look as dumb, thankfully.

Anonymous said...

That happens to me too! I can usually play it off but sometimes I just admit it.

If the people are out of the environment where I usually see them, sometimes I can't get it to register.

Mama Wheaton said...

I worked at our local grocery store for 10 years. People would stop me when my family and I were out and say hi. It got to be a joke in the family because I am bad with names so when the people would walk away the kids would say oh they are her grocery friends.

Debbie said...

And sometimes I smile real big at someone that I think I now very well, only to realize it is just someone I see somewhere regularly and have never met.

Anonymous said...

I used to work in the mental health department at the clinic and sometimes patients would say to me when i was out with friends and family. The people I was with would ask me where I knew them and I would answer, "from the mental health department" some of my friends would say that explained a lot.

Barbaloot said...

You'd think you'd be able to remember someone who you kind of grew up with...
But some guy talked to me in the hallway in church today for several minutes about when we were little...and I can't for the life of me remember him.

The Wife O Riley said...

That happens to me on a daily basis. If you get one of those personal assistants, let me know where I can get one too.

Aracely said...

My husband is he worst with names which is a nightmare because he has a very memorable appearance and character so people usually remember everything about him. Luckily for him, I make a great personal assistant.

Erin said...

That was my favorite part of The Devil Wears Prada, when Andy tells Miranda who she is talking to. But yes, I do experience this, and it gets frustrating sometimes!

Boy Mom said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I enjoyed your poem, I'll have to look into the Art you mentioned.

Loved your profile write up!

Lately I've been wondering how many strangers that I bump into here and there are bloggers. It's interesting how intimately we can get to know a person in blog land yet we wouldn't know them in real life.

Thought provoking post.

Anonymous said...

If you find one of those assistants, please get me one, too. My face recall is amazing. Name recall? Atrocious. Needless to say, I identify here.

Lara Neves said...

I immediately thought of the Devil wears Prada when I read this, too...but I see Erin already mentioned that.

What's worse is when someone you know you should know starts talking to you and knows everything about you, and you can't even muster up how you know them, much less their actual name.

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