The Taste of Words, The Colours of Sound
Why Read This
What Makes This Article Worth Your Time
Summary
What This Article Is About
Jug Suraiya explores synesthesia, a neurological condition where senses merge—allowing some individuals to taste words or see sounds as colored shapes. The article distinguishes between lexical gustatory synesthesia (tasting words) and chromesthesia (visualizing sounds as colors), noting that far from being disabilities, these conditions often correlate with enhanced memory, creativity, and linguistic abilities among artists like Vladimir Nabokov, Duke Ellington, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Drawing connections between synesthesia, hallucinogenic experiences, and meditation, Suraiya contemplates whether mystics and sages might possess alternative forms of perception. He concludes by examining the brain’s extraordinary complexity—86 to 100 billion neurons connected through 15 trillion synapses—suggesting that minute neurological variations create vastly different perceptual realities. This understanding, he argues, should inspire in all of us a profound sense of wonder at the limitless potential within human consciousness.
Key Points
Main Takeaways
Synesthesia Merges Multiple Senses
Synesthesia is a documented neurological condition where distinct sensory perceptions synthesize, enabling individuals to taste sounds or visualize auditory stimuli as colors.
Creativity and Enhanced Abilities
Rather than being a disability, synesthesia frequently correlates with heightened memory, creativity, and linguistic capabilities, particularly among artists and composers.
Famous Synesthetes Across Arts
Documented synesthetes include diverse creative geniuses like Marcel Proust, Vladimir Nabokov, Arthur Rimbaud, Duke Ellington, Franz Liszt, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Multiple Pathways to Altered Perception
Enhanced consciousness can arise through hallucinogens like mescaline, mental disciplines such as meditation, or naturally occurring neurological conditions including synesthesia.
Mystical Perception Reconsidered
The article speculates whether mystics, sages, and seers who “see the world differently” might possess synesthesia or alternative sensory perception forms.
Neurological Complexity Creates Wonder
With 86-100 billion neurons and 15 trillion synaptic connections, minute neurological changes create vastly different perceptions, revealing consciousness’s limitless potential.
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Article Analysis
Breaking Down the Elements
Main Idea
Consciousness Beyond Conventional Boundaries
The article argues that synesthesia exemplifies how human consciousness transcends ordinary sensory boundaries, revealing that perception is far more fluid and variable than commonly assumed. This neurological phenomenon demonstrates that reality is experienced differently by different individuals based on subtle variations in neural architecture, challenging our assumptions about universal human experience.
Purpose
Inspire Awe at Human Potential
Suraiya seeks to cultivate wonder about consciousness by showing how seemingly exotic neurological conditions like synesthesia are not aberrations but variations revealing the extraordinary plasticity and possibility within human perception. The piece ultimately aims to transform readers’ relationship with their own consciousness from taking it for granted to recognizing it as infinitely mysterious and worthy of contemplation.
Structure
Definitional → Exemplary → Speculative → Scientific → Philosophical
The article begins by defining synesthesia and its variants, then illustrates through creative geniuses who possessed it, speculates about connections to mystical experience and altered states, grounds the discussion in neuroscience by explaining neurons and synapses, and concludes with a philosophical reflection on wonder as humanity’s accessible sixth sense.
Tone
Inquiring, Wonder-Filled & Meditative
Suraiya adopts an exploratory tone characterized by genuine curiosity rather than authoritative pronouncement. The frequent use of questions invites readers into contemplation, while references spanning neuroscience, literature, music, and spirituality create an atmosphere of intellectual wonder. The tone is simultaneously scientifically grounded and spiritually open, refusing to reduce consciousness to mere mechanism.
Key Terms
Vocabulary from the Article
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Tough Words
Challenging Vocabulary
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A specific form of synesthesia in which sounds automatically trigger the perception of colors, allowing individuals to visualize music and voices as chromatic patterns.
“The common form of synesthesia is chromesthesia, in which sounds assume colour and can be visualised in chromatic arrangements.”
A psychedelic alkaloid derived from the peyote cactus that produces powerful alterations in visual perception, consciousness, and sensory experience when ingested.
“What Aldous Huxley called The Doors of Perception…in which he narrates his experiences under the influence of mescaline.”
A neurotransmitter that regulates mood, cognition, and perception, playing a crucial role in feelings of well-being and potentially influencing consciousness when levels are altered.
“The Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment while sitting beneath the Bodhi tree, the fig-like fruit of which is rich in serotonin.”
The microscopic junction between two neurons where neurotransmitters are released to transmit signals, forming the fundamental communication structure of the nervous system.
“Consciousness derives from messages that nerve cells called neurons pass to each other through infinitesimally tiny points of communication known as synapses.”
Of exceptional importance, significance, or lasting impact; impressively large in scale, scope, or ambition, often creating an enduring legacy or influence.
“Marcel Proust…wrote his seven-volume, 4215-word, monumental novel, Remembrance of Things Past, considered one of the great landmarks of world literature.”
The quality or state of being without boundaries, constraints, or measurable extent; infinite possibility or boundless potential that cannot be fully comprehended.
“It is this single thought of the limitlessness that lies within us that can provide all of us with a sixth sense: the sense of wonder.”
Reading Comprehension
Test Your Understanding
5 questions covering different RC question types
1According to the article, medical science generally considers synesthesia to be an aberration requiring corrective therapy.
2What is lexical gustatory synesthesia?
3Which sentence best encapsulates the article’s philosophical conclusion about human consciousness?
4Evaluate these statements about altered perception according to the article:
Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception was written before he experimented with mescaline.
The article suggests there may be a connection between synesthesia and mystical or spiritual perception.
The human brain contains between 86 billion and 100 billion neurons.
Select True or False for all three statements, then click “Check Answers”
5Based on the article’s discussion of Marcel Proust, what can we infer about the author’s approach to historical figures and synesthesia?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
While the article describes lexical gustatory synesthesia as “very rare,” it doesn’t provide specific prevalence statistics. Research suggests that synesthesia in general affects approximately 2-4% of the population, though many cases likely remain undiagnosed. Chromesthesia (sound-to-color synesthesia) is more common than the lexical gustatory type, and the condition appears to run in families, suggesting a genetic component to this fascinating neurological variation.
The article notes that synesthesia is “often associated with increased memory, creativity, and linguistic skills” and lists numerous creative geniuses who possessed it, including musicians (Duke Ellington, Franz Liszt), writers (Vladimir Nabokov, Arthur Rimbaud), and painters (Vincent Van Gogh). This connection suggests that experiencing the world through merged senses may provide unique perspectives and associations that fuel artistic innovation, though the article carefully avoids claiming that synesthesia causes genius.
Suraiya mentions that the Bodhi tree’s fig-like fruit is “rich in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can alter the way we feel and think,” then speculatively asks if Buddha was a synesthete. This illustrates the article’s broader theme about how altered neurochemistry—whether through natural compounds, neurological conditions, or meditation—might enable expanded perception. It’s a provocative suggestion connecting spiritual enlightenment with neuroscience, though presented as speculation rather than established fact.
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This article is classified as Advanced level due to its sophisticated vocabulary (synesthesia, chromesthesia, neurotransmitter, infinitesimally), complex sentence structures, and abstract philosophical concepts. It requires readers to navigate between neuroscience, literature, philosophy, and spirituality, making connections across diverse domains. The speculative nature of some claims demands critical thinking about evidence versus conjecture, making it excellent practice for graduate-level reading comprehension.
Jug Suraiya is a renowned Indian journalist, author, and columnist known for his wit and ability to explore complex philosophical and spiritual topics through an accessible lens. He writes for The Times of India’s Speaking Tree section, which focuses on spirituality, wellness, and lifestyle content. His style characteristically blends scientific inquiry with philosophical reflection, making profound questions about consciousness and existence approachable for general readers while maintaining intellectual rigor.
The Ultimate Reading Course covers 9 RC question types: Multiple Choice, True/False, Multi-Statement T/F, Text Highlight, Fill in the Blanks, Matching, Sequencing, Error Spotting, and Short Answer. This comprehensive coverage prepares you for any reading comprehension format you might encounter.
