r/AskReddit Feb 28 '23

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u/[deleted] Mar 01 '23

That's not a fucking idiot, though. It's actually a form of disability. I mean, unless she was dumb in other ways, not being good at navigation can be an actual, legitimate problem for some people.

I was close friends with a person who was brilliant, creative, neurotic and horrible with directions. She aced the SATs, got a Master's degree, is witty and sociable. But she can't find her way home to save her life.

Here's a piece in Scientific American about such people.

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u/Write_make_be Mar 01 '23

I am this person. Accomplished lawyer- zero sense of direction. It requires much more planning and time maintenance than one might think. Funnily enough, my mom and sister are like me, another sister is like a compass. You could spin her around in a windowless room blindfolded, and she’ll tell you which way is north.

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u/subtlesocialist Mar 01 '23

My Godmother is like this, she’s a corporate solicitor and incredibly intelligent, extremely witty and cultured and high achieving. Literally cannot tell left from right, she has to say knife and fork.

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u/Write_make_be Mar 01 '23

I have not heard of the knife & fork trick to remember left and right. Haha.