Posted on 07/28/2018 6:54:03 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
Researchers find evidence that neural systems actively remove memories, which suggests that forgetting may be the default mode of the brain.
“Without forgetting, we would have no memory at all,”
The reason, he thinks, is that the brain doesn’t know straight away what is important and what isn’t, so it tries to remember as much as possible at first, but gradually forgets most things. “Forgetting serves as a filter,” Hardt said. “It filters out the stuff that the brain deems unimportant.”
(Excerpt) Read more at quantamagazine.org ...
About some project I did 30 years back, I'm there! About breakfast this morning, not so much???
Something I am improving at and cultivating.
I was going to post somethin...
Is this in any way news?
Researchers find evidence that neural systems actively remove memories, which suggests that forgetting may be the default mode of the brain.
...
And if that doesn’t work, there is always alcohol.
That’s what I tell my wife. When she wants to know why I don’t remember something I tell her I’ve only got room in the brain for so much stuff and I can’t concentrate on trivial matters.
I would say the brain has a default mode, and everyone is a bit different. Each of us can optimize and modify the operating system to suit what each person does, for good or bad. Education is brain training no matter the subject. That’s my non proffesional take anyway.
"Some drink to remember, some drink to forget..."
My husband told me something similar years ago when I accused him of not remembering what I say. His response: “I remember important things.” ????
I had completely forgotten an event in my life that occurred roughly 30 year before, until a friend asked me if I remembered it. Then suddenly, I recalled the the entire event.
So, clearly, it was not completely erased from memory.
And if that doesn’t work, there is always alcohol.
Lawyer F. Lee Bailey said each time he gets drunk he loses one million brain cells, How smart I would be if I never drank.
(Clearly, it erased his mind)
They are deleted alright.
Methinks my head has been crashed a couple too many times.
Everyone has photographic memory; most don’t have film.
Trying to make us read the article by proposing an apparent contradiction in the headline only makes me mad, it does not make me want to read the article.
Only Sheldon Cooper can remember everything. Everyone else remembers less than 100%. Otherwise it would be useless information.
On the other hand, why do I remember phone numbers that I had decades ago and which no longer function, but don’t rembember my home land line number?
A few years ago, a group of my colleagues were having lunch one day. Obviously triggered by the conversation we were having, one of our young men, with a very serious look on his face, looked at me and said, “Somebody told me something the other day . . . and I can’t remember who it was or what it was about.”
“I am not surprised.”, I replied.
Now THAT is funny!
Just wish I could remember it long enough to use it! :-)!
An astronomer working years on a massive problem gives up, goes on vacation to Switzerland, as his foot hit the ground exiting a bus, the answer arrived.
The benzine guy dreams of a snake eating its tail.
Presto! The structure of benzene.
If I can pick up a ‘seed crystal’ of a past event it will grow back, and quickly.
Short term, not so much.
I remember studies that said, in fact, our brain has recorded our whole lives, it’s just we normally can’t retrieve the memories. I saw films in college where during brain surgery the doctor would electrically stimulate the surface of the brain and the patient (who is awake during the procedure) would be taken back to childhood riding a trike on the sidewalk in front of his house. So according to this, our whole lives are in there, but beyond our grasp.
“I had completely forgotten an event in my life that occurred roughly 30 year before, until a friend asked me if I remembered it. Then suddenly, I recalled the the entire event.
So, clearly, it was not completely erased from memory!”
My wife and I are pushing 80, and we both have what you described.
A conversation, often on the phone with a distant relative or friend will trigger a forgotten memory.
Or something on tv triggers old memories.
One of our adult sons has an incredible memory from early childhood to his early fifties. He will bring up something that happened decades ago and describe it like it was a recent thing. That often triggers memories which have been buried for decades.
Even he suffers from what we call Rhino syndrome. That happens when you start to walk into another room to do something and forget what you were going to do. So, you shake your head and snort like a Rhino until your memory comes back. Or it is gone forever. Obviously, what you forgot was probably not that important.
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