Memory

[Neo]

I'm at work reading this book (on my break of course) about recovered memory theory. I'm using it for some of the stuff I'm writing about how information is preserved. Anyway it shows how the brain isn't a mechanical recording device which captures everything flawlessly, it instead captures bits and pieces and then fills in the gaps in order to make sense of the experience. In order to make it into long-term memory storage experiences have to be recounted over and over which introduces even more inaccuracies. 10-30% of the population is highly suggestible and researchers have shown that false memories can be implanted into people and they can be totally convinced of the accuracy.

Also when the Challenger exploded in 1986 a bunch of students were asked where they were, what they were doing, etc. Three years later they asked them the same question and a third of them gave wildly inaccurate reports. When shown their original reports in their own hand writing they couldn't believe that they had written that. They were so sure their present memories were correct. Isn't that f#cked up? It makes you think about who you are or who you think you are. Some of what we believe about the past may not be true at all.

[jeepnut]

Yeah, that's wierd and kind of creepy, but I have absolutely no doubt that it's true.

[Blackmane]

It makes sense to me. I mean, think about just last year. How much of it can you actually recall accurately? How many days can you think about what happened accurately.

Our memory is only bits here and there and pictures of things that have happened to us.

[Jonbo298]

I have to agree. I've had many a times where I can only remember parts of something that happened quite awhile back and sometimes the brain threw in things to fill in the gaps

[GameMaster]

It's kind of sad. I wish our brains were mechanical in how they store memories because I've done lots of fun things and many of those fun things I can't recall now. I can remember the general scenario but not details. I also remembering my childhood being so fun but maybe I've just exaggerated the memory?

There's a film starring Robin Williams that was either low-budget and already came out or it hasn't come out yet but I watched the preview at Apple's site. It's kind of about this topic.

It's about a service humans can suscribe to that records their entire lives onto some form of tape or CD. All the memories are recorded from the original perspective too.

[Typhoid]

The mind is a wierd thing.


I remember perfectly the last time I saw my friend Bryan before he died.

But I wouldn't have remembered the time if nothing happened to him.

Its wierd. Like, I didn't remember it in the months I didn't see him, but after he died, I remembered it perfectly.

Its kind of wierd. Kind of really wierd.

[Blackmane]

The mind is a mysterious tool. It does it's thing no matter what we try, and it will awaken thoughts and memories it has stored when it feels like it.

[Dyne]

This is why having a positive outlook on life will make you a better person. You'll remember everything as being good.