Discussion Would you erase certain memories if you could?

[Forever Sleep]

It would seem the sensible thing to do. To erase trauma. Erase the things we can't seem to forget that still hurt us.

Would you be a profoundly different person without those things? Do you wish you were that different person? Have some things in life knocked you off track?

I find it hard to imagine a totally different life. I suppose I can see that I had the potential to be different. Happier perhaps, if I hadn't taken this specific route. I don't even want the alternatives enough now to chase them though.

I suppose, thinking about it though, maybe the harsher times taught me important lessons. Would I have ended up somewhere worse without them? Maybe.

What are your feelings? Any specific memories or periods you would rather banish?

 

[Pluto]

 

[XKZyn]

I feel like everyone wishes they could get rid of a few memories... Only one I can think of getting rid of is when I found my grandpa sleeping on his rocking chair, I remember trying to wake him up to no success. I told Gramma that grandpa wasn't waking up, I remember her dropping to her knees in front of him and crying and crying and crying. It might be one of the only memories I'd want gone. I don't think I'd want to forget anything, memories and experiences shape us. For better or for worse. Righttt... And maybe the first time my awkward ass tried to ask a girl out.

 

[pthnrdnojvsc]

i would erase 99% of memories. experiences do make one who you are.

wasted 99.99999% of my time every day watching youtube videos, TV ,social media, reddit news, politics, sports, media, videos, movies. to me all of that is meaningless, wasted time . none of that had anything to do with me nor solved any of my problems directly. what wouuld solve my problems is me working on solving them every day taking action.

but i can't go back in time the damage is done . my brain is filled with all those memories of clickbait youtube videoes, tv shows, news, sports , social media posts, reddit , images, videos etc. what good is that ? what meaning does that have ? none. it's why i have all these problems as i wasn't working or anything just watching youtube social media etcx.

 

[FoxSauce]

Well if I maybe erased the past and some interactions that led to mistakes.

Erase my childhood some major events

Other than that, its alright.

 

[unluckysadness]

I wanted to ask the same question on this forum. I would definitely take the pill to erase all my traumas. I was thinking about lobotomy too, but it has nothing to do with trauma, it just makes you become a zombie (and no one does that on this planet anymore). I read a book from Peter Levine (trauma & PTSD specialist) and he said only 20 or 30% would take this pill (I don't remember the exact number but it was low)

 

[Eternal Disaster]

I would like to erase some happy memories because now they hurt.

 

[Cauliflour]

Well as much as I would like to erase the memory of me making a racist comment about my crush and not realising it was racist because I'm a fucking idiot, if I don't remember that then I'm bound to repeat it later down the line when there's more at stake.

It's been years and I still think about it sometimes.

 

[Namelesa]

Definitely yes. I would mostly remove memories about previous relationships so I could be absolutely fine now without one as my life got worse from the break ups of them. Maybe also remove memories of school but some very few things from that time might be useful to remember (mostly art and cooking related skills) and isn't as negatively effecting me now so maybe keep those ones.

 

[bankai]

I'm pretty sure brain scanning,Memory manipulation and even the ability to implant new memories is going to come up at some point in the future.

As long as it's carefully done. And there's no misuse. I think there's amazing potential for helping people with trauma. Nothing too crazy has happened in my life. Yeah, I have some embarrassing and cringe moments in my past. But I kind of really don't want to erase them. That's just a part of my life and my experiences.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I'm pretty sure brain scanning,Memory manipulation and even the ability to implant new memories is going to come up at some point in the future.

As long as it's carefully done. And there's no misuse. I think there's amazing potential for helping people with trauma. Nothing too crazy has happened in my life. Yeah, I have some embarrassing and cringe moments in my past. But I kind of really don't want to erase them. That's just a part of my life and my experiences.

That's an interesting idea. I guess I find it slightly scary though- a labotomy of sorts. I eonder how they could even issolate certain memories to erase. Do they really 'live' in one place?

Sometimes I wonder though. As much as I'd like to not remember certain experiences, maybe they taught me important lessons. That it's unwise to trust certain people. That it's best to try and stay entirely away from others. As awful as some experiences are in life, I think they can teach us to better protect ourselves in future.

 

[bankai]

That's an interesting idea. I guess I find it slightly scary though- a labotomy of sorts. I eonder how they could even issolate certain memories to erase. Do they really 'live' in one place?

Sometimes I wonder though. As much as I'd like to not remember certain experiences, maybe they taught me important lessons. That it's unwise to trust certain people. That it's best to try and stay entirely away from others. As awful as some experiences are in life, I think they can teach us to better protect ourselves in future.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is basically this in a nutshell.

Seeing how critical the brain is. I'm hoping for something non invasive. Umm, maybe something like a LASIK surgery? Something scanning over and manipulating Parts of the brain?

Actually LASIK is pretty invasive and physical. I mean, a laser is basically burning a lens into your eye.

And you're spot on about those experiences molding you into who you are today. So the movie is basically about this. Two people who break up decide that they are going to remove the memories of each other.Only to do the relationship all over again when they have no memory of each other.

So it would have been better if they'd just kept the memories and stayed away from each other I guess?

My guess is people would want certain traumatic experiences removed. Especially childhood trauma. Things that were outside their control. Some people go through their entire lives not being able to get over some things. It would be nice to remove things like that. Give them a chance to move on.

Also, Neuralink is already coming up with brain computer interfaces. So it's all just a matter of time.

 

[_AllCatsAreGrey_]

I'm pretty sure I already have erased a lot. I can't remember most of my childhood. It's probably better that I don't. I'd be happy to selectively erase more.

 

[bankai]

I'm pretty sure I already have erased a lot. I can't remember most of my childhood. It's probably better that I don't. I'd be happy to selectively erase more.

Very common method for the brain to process trauma. It selectively forgets things.

 

[Green Destiny]

Don't know about memories but there's definitely a few things about myself that I wish I could completely forget or erase.

 

[starinthesky]

I'd delete most if not all, but before I'd burn all evidence of my previous life, so amnesia me has a true blank slate

 

[Galam]

No I don't want to erase my negative memories, I want justice for them so I write to organizations what happened and even if they don't do anything, I tell the truth because I feel it is nesessary. I am a survivor of asylum.

And I wish I could erase those people that made these bad life experiences.

I am a fan of Spider-Man franshise and sometimes imagine a story where I can get the Venom or Carnage symbiont. It would be a powerful feeling to just take revenge and more.

I had sadly just psychopaths and narcs around me who discriminated me for my disabilities. I think I understand how pigs in slaughterhouse must feel too, if they are aware why they are there and for what. I feel no empathy with normal/privileged people, because of them I don't even have some health care.