The Science of Forgetting and Why We're Already Losing Our Pandemic Memories: Understanding the Default Mode of Memory

The Science of Forgetting and Why We're Already Losing Our Pandemic Memories: Understanding the Default Mode of Memory

When it comes to memory, a basic assumption we can make is that everybody forgets everything all the time. According to Norman Brown, a cognitive psychology professor researching autobiographical memory at the University of Alberta, forgetting is the default mode of our brains. Our brains have three interrelated phases for memory: encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of information.

During the encoding phase, our brains make changes to neurons in the hippocampus, an important memory center, as well as other areas like the amygdala for emotional memories. These changes create a physical memory trace known as an engram. However, much of this information is lost unless it goes through memory consolidation, which often occurs during sleep. This consolidation process makes memories more stable and long-term.

One theory suggests that the hippocampus stores an index of where these cortical memory neurons are located for retrieval, similar to how Google search works. When we retrieve memories, the memory trace neurons in the hippocampus and cortex are reactivated. Our memories are centered around our life stories and the events that had the greatest personal impact on us.

However, even for salient emotional and life-threatening events, the more of them we have, the more difficult it becomes to capture and remember all of them. The influx of new memories, simply from living life, interferes with our recollection of older events. New events are more salient and easier to remember because we often talk about them and repeatedly remember and reconsolidate them. On the other hand, uniform events are harder to recall as our memory tends to consolidate them into one event.

As a society, many people are already showing a desire to let go of their COVID-19 memories. This may be because people tend to view the future more positively than the past. Remembering the past is influenced by our current emotions, knowledge, and attitudes. This reality has direct implications for how we look back on the pandemic and how we navigate the future.

If we want to preserve our autobiographical memories in history, they need to be turned upside down by the course of history itself. While parents pass down their knowledge and family history to future generations, these communicative memories only last for two or three generations. Without cultural artifacts like books, movies, statues, and museums, the memories of the COVID-19 pandemic may fade away and be forgotten in the dustbin of history.

Why You Think You're Right - Even If You're Wrong: Understanding the Power of Soldier and Scout Mindsets

The key takeaway from understanding the traits that influence our thinking is that they are primarily rooted in emotions rather than intelligence or knowledge. These traits, known as soldier mindset and scout mindset, have little correlation with IQ. Soldier mindset is driven by emotions like defensiveness and tribalism, while scout mindset is rooted in curiosity and a desire to learn and solve puzzles.

The scout's job is not to attack or defend, but to understand. Scouts are driven by curiosity and find pleasure in learning new information or solving puzzles. On the other hand, soldier mindset, also known as motivated reasoning, is driven by unconscious motivations, desires, and fears. This mindset shapes the way we interpret information and influences our judgment based on which side we want to win.

Motivated reasoning, or soldier mindset, is pervasive and affects various aspects of our lives, including how we think about our health, relationships, voting decisions, and what we consider fair or ethical. The most concerning aspect of motivated reasoning is how unconscious it is. We can believe we are being objective and fair-minded, yet still make decisions that have severe consequences, such as ruining the life of an innocent person.

Scout mindset, on the other hand, is about seeing what's really there, even if it's not convenient or pleasant. It's about striving for honest and accurate understanding, rather than making one idea win or another lose. Henri Picquart serves as a prime example of scout mindset, as he sought the truth and justice during the Dreyfus Affair, even when it was uncomfortable and challenging.

If we want to improve our judgment as individuals and as societies, what we need most is not more instruction in logic or rhetoric, but rather the adoption of scout mindset. It is through scout mindset that we can truly use principles like logic, rhetoric, probability, and economics to enhance our decision-making abilities.

Actionable Advice:

1. Embrace curiosity: Cultivate a mindset of curiosity and a desire to learn. Approach new information and ideas with an open mind, and seek pleasure in the process of acquiring knowledge. This will help counteract the biases that arise from soldier mindset.

2. Practice self-awareness: Be aware of your own unconscious motivations and desires. Recognize when your judgment is being influenced by soldier mindset and consciously make an effort to adopt a scout mindset. This self-awareness will help you make more objective and fair-minded decisions.

3. Seek diverse perspectives: Actively seek out diverse perspectives and opinions, even if they challenge your own beliefs. Engage in conversations and discussions with people who have different viewpoints to broaden your understanding and promote scout mindset thinking.