Ask HN: Do you remember when you gained consciousness? What was it like?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48548293

by kelseyfrog • 1 month ago

11 12 1 month ago

news.ycombinator.com

blinkbat• 1 month ago

one memory that has stuck was following the builders around my house at age 4 or 5, using my pretend tools to mimic whatever they were doing (they were installing bay doors).

orionblastar• 1 month ago

My first memory is my 3rd birthday and having Grape and Orange Nehi Soda in glass bottles. Blue boy candle holders, 3 of them, on the cake. It rained that day, and I lost my temporary tattoos on the front of the house, and the rain ruined them.

markus_zhang• 1 month ago

My first memory is probably around 4-5, when my mom argues with my father, and I tried to help my mom by screaming at my father but then got slapped by my mom. Lol, not a good idea to get into adults’ political game.

jr_isidore• 1 month ago

Sucking on dem teats. Unforgettable.

lyfeninja• 1 month ago

My first memory was meeting my parents for the first time when I was around two (I'm adopted). I don't remember anything before it, probably for the better.

didgetmaster• 1 month ago

You equate 'consciousness' with the brain's ability to store long term memories. I'm not sure if that definition fits.

Has anyone been able to determine at what age the brain gains this ability? I have a few vague memories from my early childhood, but I can't remember just how old I was when I experienced them.

recursivecaveat• 1 month ago

"Childhood amnesia" its called. Around 3 is usually when people start to be able to remember anything at all, and then 4.5-5 years your memory becomes more normal. I definitely have at least one memory verifiable from before 4, possibly a few more if I did some sleuthing with people who knew toddler me, but all of them are attached to pretty major life events.

kelseyfrog• 1 month ago

Do you remember being conscious in your early memories?

dhruv3006• 1 month ago

yep i had a operation sometime back - i felt very relaxed after coming back.

dlcarrier• 1 month ago

It happens every morning, usually from a cat walking on me, but sometimes from something I hear.

annzabelle• 1 month ago

I think I might remember 9/11. It was right before my third birthday, and I distinctively remember a weird day in preschool where everybody was panicked and got picked up early, and I was waiting with the teacher until my dad showed up later. Had no idea what had happened or why until 3rd grade, and only connected that memory to 9/11 later on. I asked my parents who picked me up and whether they were late to confirm, and it was my dad who picked me up, and he was late (apparently they were briefing my brothers on not freaking me out).

Peterz_shu• 1 month ago

I think it was just a chill summer day when I was 5 or sth...

Not all conciousness-gaining moments are super climatic

Ask HN: Do you remember when you gained consciousness? What was it like?

Related Stories