Do you think inanimate objects are alive?

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Sora
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23 Feb 2009, 10:04 am

Do you?

Or did believe so when you were a kid?

Maybe you still catch yourself thinking it sometimes before correcting yourself because you know better?

When I was a kid, I went through a period of thinking that if people could be hurt, so does furniture and other things. And I was suspicious of toys and housewares because it might come alive when humans looked away.

It didn't help that there was this awesome show on later about how all the toys of a child become alive during the night. The show showed it just the way I imagined it would be like. Also, when my things were moved when I wasn't there (which happens all the time to children), I suspected they had moved on their own.

That silly thinking stopped later.

Anyway, I still sometimes spontaneously assume an inanimate objects has thoughts and feeling which it doesn't. When, for example, I arrange things with the idea that each should have a good view on the room.


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whitetiger
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23 Feb 2009, 10:09 am

My AS BF and I both thought so. BF thought his mom was hurting the car when she left it running, because it was lonely.



Transplantman
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23 Feb 2009, 10:32 am

Absolutely! In fact for much of my early life if somebody offered me something I would never reject it for fear I would hurt the feelings of the thing being offered. I wouldn't call something "stupid" or if I did in anger I would feel bad. My theory is it is related to synesthesia as I always helplessly imbue things with personality and intention. Brave little toaster was a powerful movie to me. LOL.



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23 Feb 2009, 10:42 am

Transplantman wrote:
My theory is it is related to synesthesia as I always helplessly imbue things with personality and intention. Brave little toaster was a powerful movie to me. LOL.

You said it!
That is exactly how I feel. I did this a lot more when I was younger, but still do it frequently now. Appliances and natural objects (rocks, sticks, as well as actually living plants) seem to be personified more than anything else.
Plants talk to me. Really. :flower:


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23 Feb 2009, 10:43 am

Yes. And still do it.



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23 Feb 2009, 11:18 am

I used to treat my belongings people, I still do it a bit now, if I drop my iPhone for example I'll say sorry to it.



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23 Feb 2009, 11:52 am

Sometimes I'll still feel like toys have feelings. Like if they are smiling and then I do something bad to it, I will feel sorry for that toy, especially because it always has that smile no matter what bad things I might do to it if I don't want it.


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sue88
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23 Feb 2009, 12:26 pm

I am so glad that you asked about this. I makes me feel so close to you :D. I have this problem for sure! I am much too old to feel that way but I still think toys and objects have feelings. I know logically that they don't but I still treat then like they do.
I also have some trouble eating things that have a face. Like cookies in the shape of elves or goldfish crackers etc.. :oops:



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23 Feb 2009, 12:29 pm

Yes.



Sora
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23 Feb 2009, 12:32 pm

sue88 wrote:
I also have some trouble eating things that have a face. Like cookies in the shape of elves or goldfish crackers etc.. :oops:

I try to eat the head first if its a food formed to look like a body. You know, so they won't take further notice of that I eat them. Almost humane killing.


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sue88
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23 Feb 2009, 12:34 pm

Sora wrote:
sue88 wrote:
I also have some trouble eating things that have a face. Like cookies in the shape of elves or goldfish crackers etc.. :oops:

I try to eat the head first if its a food formed to look like a body. You know, so they won't take further notice of that I eat them. Almost humane killing.





Yes! Exactly. That's what I do too.



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23 Feb 2009, 12:36 pm

"the symptoms most commonly produced by Enrichment Center testing are superstition, perceiving inanimate objects as alive, and hallucinations."
Portal :lol: i had to pop that quote in



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23 Feb 2009, 12:55 pm

^ Weighted Companion Cube? :lol:


I do things like this sometimes.. I'll feel bad for my car when I take it on a long journey or up a big hill or something like that. I admit that my car has a name and I've petted him and called him a good boy.

I also sometimes think my stuffed animals are lonely. I used to sleep with several stuffed animals and I would feel really bad if I rolled over and left one all by itself at my back. So I used to give them friends so that if I rolled over, they still had somebody to cuddle with over there.



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23 Feb 2009, 12:58 pm

i did it a lot as a kid, but i did a concious decision to quit it.

i used to have my bed FULL of stuffed animals, a penguin and a lynx were my favorites, along with many others w deep affectional value, plus gadgets, small objects, list goes on. i had lots of stuff, stones, carved sticks, plastic toys, etc under my pillow, in my pockets, etc

when i moved out i cut my bond to all of them, forever. i sometimes think of the penguin :]



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23 Feb 2009, 1:11 pm

Sora wrote:
Do you?

Or did believe so when you were a kid?

Maybe you still catch yourself thinking it sometimes before correcting yourself because you know better?

When I was a kid, I went through a period of thinking that if people could be hurt, so does furniture and other things. And I was suspicious of toys and housewares because it might come alive when humans looked away.

It didn't help that there was this awesome show on later about how all the toys of a child become alive during the night. The show showed it just the way I imagined it would be like. Also, when my things were moved when I wasn't there (which happens all the time to children), I suspected they had moved on their own.

That silly thinking stopped later.

Anyway, I still sometimes spontaneously assume an inanimate objects has thoughts and feeling which it doesn't. When, for example, I arrange things with the idea that each should have a good view on the room.


You might have their backs to the room :wink:

Its why i've always had trouble throwing stuff away. I've still got an old slide from when I was a kid, even though its broken, badly. And whenever i've had to get rid of a car, it breaks my heart, and I have to say goodbye.


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23 Feb 2009, 1:19 pm

I have a hard time believing that something can exist and not have some form of consciousness....have felt this way since I was very young.