Angie Week 15 Photographic Memory
What if humans had the power of glancing at something and immediately having a photographic image of it ingrained into their memory? What if instead of studying for a test you were able to memorize the contents of the textbook instantly?
In fact, there are people who possess some extent of this so-called superpower, or photographic memory. For example, people working in the crime and investigation department often rely on their memory to recall important details regarding the case. Memorizing car license plates, street addresses, and dialogues are all a part of the fundamental skills that police officers, investigators, and other federal agents are required to master.
Memorization skills can be improved however, with practice. Techniques such as active recall can help stimulate the brain to remember certain events with more precision.
However, if we were all to have photographic memory, then the significance of memory itself wanes. Human memory is imperfect; we often omit some details, or are unable to recall certain events. It is due to these imperfections that make a person’s memory precious and meaningful. If we can remember everything that we have seen or done, then we would not cherish the memories as we do now.
We humans often associate our emotions and feelings with our memories, and having a photographic memory may strip that aspect of human nature away. Therefore, even though having a photographic memory may seem appealing, it diminishes the imperfectness of human memory, which may strip away a large part of our “humanness”.
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/how-to-get-a-photographic-memory#is-it-real
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Hi Angie, photographic memory certainly does seem like an incredibly powerful tool to have at one's disposal. But, like you've already mentioned in your post, it can be a blessing and a curse. After all, the power of forgetting is (in my opinion) just as important as remembering, and remembering everything wouldn't really encourage you to come up with novel solutions to problems. Despite being aware of these drawbacks, I still find myself wishing I had photographic memory on our English tests, though...
ReplyDeleteYou offer a unique perspective of this concept, at least to me, as it is one that I have not even considered; I know that several distinct traits and characteristics make us human, but I did not realize imperfect memory was one of them until now. Nonetheless, I agree that all people possessing photographic memories would reduce the significance of memory and overall alter life as we know it. From a more technical view, tensions would rise as everybody would remember every wrongdoing ever inflicted against them. As such, I think having a photographic memory would be simultaneously a blessing and a curse!
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, I really like your take on photographic memory and memorization. We learned about photographic memory in my psychology class a few months ago and remember being asked if we would like to have photographic memory. While it may be useful on things like tests, being able to remember everything would reduce the significance of memory as you would not have those small things like "Ah ha!" moments anymore.
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, this was an interesting insight into the philosophy of memory. Personally, I would love to have a photographic memory. How I understand how sometimes imperfections are what make something special. Thank you for your blog, thinking about thinking is certainly an idea to think about.
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, I've personally always favored photographic memory, and I've always wished I could have it, as it would do wonders to help me during a hard quiz involving diagrams or a similar project. Memorization isn't always easy, but there are ways to strengthen your memory, and it may require a lot of hard work. But, that doesn't mean it's impossible!
ReplyDeleteHi Angie,
ReplyDeleteEver since reading that one series of the girl with photographic memory, I have been obsessed with the concept. Life would be so incredibly easy if I could remember every place that I went or show that I watched. On an even broader scale, crimes would be much easier to solve if people could remember important details regarding the criminal.
Hey Angie, I feel like having a photographic memory and the ability to remember everything would become a problem at some point because it would slow our cognitive development processes because we develop them through he repetition of tasks such as studying and without the need to study these processes wouldn't develop to the point they have now making us use less brain power then we already do further slowing out brains development.
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, I hoped for a photographic memory in the past, but after reading your blog, I understand that it may remove the ability to have emotions connected to your memories. I still would take a photogenic memory over a regular one, though, because it would have helped me in school. But I can't complain because at least I have a good memory instead of a terrible one.
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