My Memory Lane - ~Memories~?

~Memories~?

I was sitting outside the other day, just enjoying nature; and it made me think.... What are memories? How can we know if our memories are accurate or even real? When we have an experience of something, our perception changes that experience to fit our needs and how we perceived it at the time, our current emotional state at that time, and the events in our past alter that perception….etc…(so many variables) How can anyone really know if those things really happened? When all we have is the memory. We have a memory of an experience. It made me think of my grandmother. She remembers almost everything that has happened to her in her life. (lol….mostly about what nice restaurants she went to, and how the food was divine… she’s funny like that) But, she has these memories of things, and over time those memories change… I don’t why our memories change, or subtly alter themselves to fit our needs. (most perplexing) She has memories of my grandfather that are not completely accurate; now I’m sure she remembers them the way she wants too. Which brings me to the question, how can we rely on our memories if we can alter them to fit our needs? We cannot prove that a memory happened; we just have this “information” stored in our brain. Yes, we might have a picture or a souvenir of the memory, but what does that really mean? We can relay a memory to someone, maybe experience it with someone; but even if someone experienced something with you, that memory will be different from yours. So is one memory more accurate than another? How do we know that ‘we’ create these memories and they didn’t get (excuse the phrase) downloaded by a universal consciousness? Every day we have new memories. Could it be that we get downloaded (I use the term lightly) daily by this universal consciousness? Ok if I don’t stop now… I’m going to rattle on and on… So what do you think? Sorry my thoughts are a little jumbled today....^_~

Public Comments

have you've worked with lab rats, or read Pavlov
Well record your life and then youll have hard proof that those memories are true.
I think that those memories and this is yours to do with what you will and I will have something more to add to my Q&A later that you might like so pay attention.
Since you asked this question in the "philosophy' category: ~ ~ ~ Can any of us prove that our whole being (or even this whole Earth), with all of its "memories" and "artifacts" wasn't created 7 seconds ago.
You mentioned experiencing something with someone. The reason you have different memories of the same, lets say you both went on a Cruise. The memories that you each have is a perception of what each of you experienced. Each person is an individual and will remember things as they perceive them. As an example When my sister and I were young we played horse she being the horse. I gave her grass and she ate it. But yet her memories of the game are none existent to her. One thing you did not mention is hidden memories Do they exist? I believe in some part they do. It may be because we don't want to remember or it is because it really didn't matter. We all have stories of something that happened and the person that it may have happened to denies it. Selective memory is of great use to some people I'm sure I use it to.
I can only go on my own introspective thoughts here, so if I begin rambling or not making sense, please forgive me. One thing I can feel about my memories is that they usually feel good when I think about them, even if the time was not a good time in my life. For example, I can remember a time in high school when I was working, volunteering and taking classes. I was so busy, I barely had any time to think. I always hated being that busy. It was really stressful and my relationships were suffering. But when I look back on the time, even if I look back on specific memories, it feels good. There is a calming feeling associated with my memories. I think this is what you may be talking about. It seems to me that memories are recalled without the emotions of the time. This is how the experience is changed by our memory. We all experience events in different ways. Therefore it should follow that we remember them in different ways. I think it also depends on our current emotional state. If you are in a generally happy mood, you probably value your past more and will tend to look at memories in a more positive way. There is an even deeper idea when thinking about memory. Do we actually have false memories? I think this is also what you are asking. I think it does happen, but only to those who have clinical psychological conditions like skitzophrenia. I think we all generally have accurate basic recall of our memories. We may forget or even make up specific details (which I believe happens in dreams), but for the most part, I think we have a good grip on how our life has unfolded. Certainly memory has a direct effect on our daily activities. It essentially is who we are. If we have alot of false memories, then we can never be in touch with who we are. I feel I am in touch with who I really am, and it looks like most other people are to. This ties with our general consciousness, which opens up even more problems like dualism and the binding problem (I will not get into here). On the other hand, I do think it is possible to be able to physically change someone's memories, by altering the neurons, chemicals, and connections in the brain (like when somebody is on drugs like LSD). In effect, we can erase and download memories. But this would require serious physical and chemical changes to the brain which we do not have the technology or understanding to do yet. Are we living in a Matrix world? Maybe, but I doubt it.
The fact that reality changes with perspective means that there is no true reality- only more and less sophisticated. But regardless of whether they are real, memories aren't designed to be real. They are designed to preserve and build upon the individual uniqueness of all of us. If we were to lose our memory, we would have no idea who were were, so it would be the same idea as reincarnation. To say "we cannot prove a memory happened" it's more like we don't need to. since reality is different from different perspectives, even if reality is different than what we thought, it always existed, and the false reality in fact was just as true as the "real" one, since when it comes down to it reality is just brain signals interpreted our brain. I loved the Matrix, But I think that their decisions lacked common sense, since the only benefit is that we have a lot more control over reality, and I'm sure it's obvious that we'd be a lot better off having our realities managed by high level ai, since they won't make mistakes, and are far more efficient. But they insisted on letting several thousands die, and in the end, after they won they go back to the storm-wrecked, pollution laden debris-filled wasteland, and are bold as to make make that reality instead. but all in all, I'd say memories are like God. we can't prove it, but we see its affects. Without our memory we would not be able to preserve our experiences, and without those we would be an empty shell, posessing the same consciousness as that of a baby. Have you ever noticed that especially early in life, babies are "all the same" (for lack of a better word) that's because they don't have much experience in their memory our memories determine what kind of person we are and who we become, without it we are nothing.
The brain is kinda humerous about the memory issue. I'll give you a couple of examples. Giving birth. Labor and delivery. Have any idea the pain a woman goes through giving birth. Well my thought is by the time she's having another child the memory of having the last one isn't as vivid. I think if women remembered that pain like it happened yesterday, I have to believe there might be alot less of us born. Quiting smoking for the first time. Stopping for x amount of years and restarting and quiting again. As hard as it can be to quit and all you have to go through to stop you'd think that you'd never forget what you went through. But you do. Also we like to remember the good not so much the bad about things. I'm pretty sure that as we get older we gradually loose our short term memory, eventually the long term is effected to, even the things that you'd think you'd always remember till the day you died. It's just a part of growing old. That kinda sucks doesn't it. Hard to see it happen in a person you've known all your and there life. There might even come a time when they forget your name or even who you are. A long time ago someone made this comment to me about aging and it made sense to me and I've always remembered it. Think about the day a person is born and ages through the years. Now think of an elderly person, its almost as if they are regressing back as they get older and older. Many have to been cared for just like they were children again. MLJ
I think that you can rely on those of your memories the most, which you have "stored" in an alert but not emotionally charged state. Emotions can greatly affect the fidelity of memories. Not to mention the consumption of hallucinogenic substances, or fatigue. You can test yourself by watching a movie which had a great impact on you, but you have only seen it once and long ago, preferably as child. Watching it again after so many years, you probably will have a quite different opinion about it, will discover new scenes, of which you don't recall seeing at your first viewing. If it was movie for children, you are likely to find it silly, or shallow, or poorly made etc. Or watch one new, while drunk, than watch it again sober. And since nobody is perfect, the level of our sanity is different from person to person. There are excellent observers, a lot of things escape others. Some are just gullible, some see things which are not true. Some are complete nutters, and everybody have lapses. After repeatedly hearing numerous witness accounts contradicting your experience, you will start to believe them. Your lengthy question calls for a book to answer.
"Could it be that we get downloaded (I use the term lightly) daily by this universal consciousness?" I was about to agree with you and then suggest exactly what you say at the end of your ramble. I'll call that and raise you one. Consciousness, from which those memories are "downloaded", is outside of time, and so there isn't even a 'daily'. We are downloading our entire perception, including all memories, in the timeless moment of Now. There is no reason to believe that there is any continuity in those memories, only an apparent illusion of such. If you really want to freak yourself out, consider that there's no particular reason a given set of memories should be downloaded into the same 'person' from one 'moment' of Now to the 'next'. Could be that Oneness is the only Truth, eh? Phil
That is a very good question im not sure what memories are but im glad we have them!!!
I think memories are our minds way of helping us cope with each new interaction. One memory helps us remember something relaxing and we can relax. Maybe we are trying something new and scary and we remember when we were scared of our first high dive, and how after we were excited to go again. By associating our new interaction with our past, we are able to process and accept it or recognize it as a negative and avoid it.