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| "Forget it! Forget me!" (1962) by Roy Lichtenstein |
Can you think of examples that demonstrate how sometimes it can be beneficial for an individual to forget an experience?
What about an example that demonstrates how sometimes it can be beneficial for a group of people--a nation, say--to forget part of its history?
What is the most persuasive example you can give to support the claim that forgetting a trauma, say, is not a good idea?
Interested in this theme. Check out the film The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Apparently humankind is not only the story telling animal, but also is the storied animal. Gottschall references studies and situations showing the plasticity of the human mind in memory, suggestion, and so-called self-knowledge. If one can forget an early trauma such as a childhood mistreatment or a horrible war experience, forgetfulness can heal the mind. Today we know this often can be done by hypnosis, or other psychopathic treatment. We live our lives by changing life stories of ourselves. Apparently, even autobiographic memoirs contain revised memories, and the evolving memories of ourselves keep us healthy.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it would be helpful for people who have been in an extremely traumatic experience during their lifetime to forget in order for them to heal. However, in order to gain wisdom for the future, we have to be introduced to several different experiences, good or bad, in order to learn from them and avoid them later on in life, as well as be able to educate others about them. For example, if someone is faced with the death of a loved one, it would not be beneficiary to forget what it felt like, because if in the future they were faced with the same problem, they would not remember how they were able to cope with it. Sure, that bad memory could be erased over and over again, but going through the ups and downs of life is what makes us human, and by forgetting every bad memory we face, a lot of human knowledge would be lost. After all, what is wisdom without experience?
DeleteI agree that the ability to forget traumatic experiences can "heal the mind," as stated by Ruth. As humans, our time on this earth would be a lot more pleasant if all the negative experiences we encountered could be erased entirely. However, like Lily, I feel that we were put here for more than just an easy ride. If the ultimate goal in life was to make it from one day to the next without any struggle or heartache, where would we find any fulfillment? Were we not faced with dilemmas on a regular basis, our lives would become static. Yes, it would be easier to forget the crushing pain of losing a loved one or the paralyzing fear of a car accident. However, without these memories we would not be capable of overcoming the pains and fears of human existence. This is why, I believe, the human mind has evolved in its memory plasticity. While we cannot, and should not, forget a traumatizing experience entirely, we are capable of smoothing the edges. In doing so, we subconsciously make our pains and fears less daunting, and, as a result, we increase our ability to draw wisdom from them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Leah and Lily. Though sometimes we wish we could forget certain memories or events, they are what make us human. Earlier we talked about how the mind prepares itself for certain events through the use of dreams or day dreaming. Most of these events we create are negative. With our elasticity, we are capable of strengthening our minds in order to handle the bad things in life. Even having a bad memory of the past, such as losing a loved one, I wouldn't want to forget that memory. This would only strengthen my mind to appreciate those around me more. I know however, that some people have experienced memories that will haunt them for the rest of their life. Though I can see the benefits of removing that memory to ease the person’s pain, you would still be deleting part of that person. I cannot see a benefit altering a person’s mind, probably because I’ve seen to many movies (which have influenced my mind…) where that has never led to be a good idea. Maybe it’s because there are too many people who would use this for corrupt means. Maybe it’s because I don’t like the idea that I can’t trust myself (not that I can anyway). In any case, even if someone came up to me and told me that they could fix my past, make me remember myself as a happy person who loved life, I would say no. The past, no matter how altered our mind makes it, is what defines us.
ReplyDeleteForgetting can equal healing, but like Leah, Lily, and Miranda, I believe pain is an essential part of human life. Two years ago, my community faced a horrific tragedy. The memory has stayed with me, as well as the pain caused by it. However, through revisiting the memory I have come to terms with the said tragedy. If we really did have the ability to erase memories, what good could it do in the long run? Just because a memory is forgotten doesn't mean it didn't happen. Your grand-mother still passed away, your favorite dog is still missing and the worst part is that you don't even remember. It's hard to face a troubling past, but it's what makes us stronger. It's part of our story.
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