Do you think it's a good idea to be able to unlock memories from the past?
My childhood memories are blurry in some spots and crystal clear in others. So when I read this article about a subtle "face-swapping illusion" that could bring such memories back into focus, it got me thinking. Which memories would I really want to dig up and see clearly so many years later? Do you think it's a good idea to be able to unlock memories from the past and experience them as if they are happening today? What positive or negative outcomes might result?
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I think it would be wonderful, perhaps through subtle psycho-analytical methods assisted by computer imagery, connected to the brain remotely.
Kind of reminds me of a movie plot where the detective has to go back in time or visit old memories to solve a mystery. Beyond that, not sure what this is useful for. Personally, I've found a valuable part of moving on and growing up is also letting go of the past, whether positive or negative. If forgetting past events is a natural part of our brain's filter system, who's to say we should act against it?
I also think a large part of what shapes our memories is perspective. Certain moments in our lives may feel meaningful in a particular way, whether good or bad, because of how we processed them at that time. So, imagine going back in time, and realizing the event was less significant than you thought. That, in itself, could have mixed consequences.
We know that all memories are linked in a network; if we forget something, we will forget all the memories that follow that deleted memory, and conversely, if we remember something, we will remember all the stimuli associated with it, good or bad, it doesn't matter...
I definitely do not want to re-experience past trauma but otherwise I’d love to be able to remember more of my past.
This might be a window on a two-way street. The "Counterclockwise" study, conducted in 1979 by Dr. Ellen Langer, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, showed that turning back the environmental clock significantly improved the effects of ageing.
Life is full of memory wells. Some are drained, some are over flowing. And some cause floods.
Indeed this would have to be done with extreme caution as I imagine many people may have buried memories which would be not necessarily good to unearth (ranging from unpleasant moments to actual traumatic events….)
I'm not sure that I would like to revisit my memories. I went through some mentally painful stuff, as well as good things.
