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“Sometimes I think the things I remember
are more real than the things I see. ”
- Arthur Golden
How Accurate Is Memory?
Not very ... as attorneys know.
Eye Witness accounts vary enormously right after the fact.
Weeks later it is worse.
30% of witnesses are wrong about what they truly believe happened as proven by video records.
Our memories can change even if we are unaware ...
which has led many juries to judge a witness a liar if his testimony changes in some detail.
Recent research reveals that our memories are constantly being re-written by our minds.
This bit of data emerges from one of the most exciting and controversial recent findings
in neuroscience:
that we alter our memories just by remembering them.
Remember your childhood fondly?
The very colors you remember your room could easily be proven to be different than the truth ...
as some comparisons with memory and old photographs attest.
What Does Your Earliest Memory Say About You?
Where you are at the moment emotionally may shift your earliest memory accordingly.
The extent to which an experience is understood in a meaningful way
affects the likelihood that it will be incorporated into our recorded memories.
I recall a vivid memory from preschool when I was 3 or
4:
A man in a business suit came to talk to the class.
As he spoke, he
slowly changed clothing,
adding piece by piece of his Native American
garb until he stood before us as a chief in full Onondaga dress.
He
made the point of the lesson clear, reminding us that he was the same
man dressed in either outfit.
As an adult, I believe that this striking childhood memory
birthed my belief we should strive to keep from judging by appearance.
What Is Your Earliest Memory?
What Do You Think It Says of You?
I have three very vague memories from the house my family lived in when I was born. I remember watching the Adventures of Superman TV show (but couldn't give you a single detail about the episode), I recall watching my mother feed our Doberman's puppies, and I remember a toy car with suction cups for wheels, that could walk up a wall. We moved out of there when I was two years and three months old, so those memories stem from a time even earlier than that.
ReplyDeleteI remember those cars, too, now that you remind me. :-) And, of course, The Adventures of Superman. We are of a generation, you and I.
DeleteAs I'm nearly 80 my memory seems to fail me more often. Earliest memory for me is of Miss Jobeson at my primary school being cross because boys used letters to spell out rude words.
ReplyDeleteM for Menabilly http://bit.ly/2pCbDhS
Hello, Bob. Good to meet you. Perhaps our brains get too cluttered with all the things that bombard us these days?
DeleteWell, you've remembered to make it to M! So I'm here to applaud and cheer you onward. My memory is. . .sorry, I forgot what I was about to write. Hang in there and see you again on this journey to Z.
ReplyDeleteI did read the post, and I'm recommending a book to you called Unfair. It has to do with how memories are tricky beasts and often lead to convicting the wrong people.
My memory is a trickster, reminding me of all the things I should have done too late to do them!
DeleteThanks for being my friend and visiting these little posts of mine! :-)
Hi Roland - I'm helping a friend who is dyslexic write his memories of early (1950s) life in south London ... he dictates, 'it' transposes and sends it to me ... I transcribe!
ReplyDeleteNot having kids and having a number of books written by family members - I want to write mine in episodes as such relative to each family and profession/trade.
I remember my great-grandmother who lived to 100 - she died in 1953 ... we used to board across the road from where she lived - not sure how the two families ended up opposite each other - and now I can't find out. She looked like Queen Victoria - all in black and used to feed the robins with breadcrumbs - don't think I had much time for her - way too old!!! But her obituary was in the mainframe papers - so the family history is there.
Sorry that was long ... memory certainly alters and I sincerely hope is not fading as I struggle for the odd word - I hope it's blogging overload! Cheers and I do hope all is well - Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/m-is-for-melton-mowbray-market-national.html