Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic dramedy science fiction film which tells a story about a couple that undergoes a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour.
Now, would you like some of your memories erased? Which past events would you choose to zap? These were the questions BBC's journalist Dan Damon was asking this past week in the wake of a groundbreaking research in which Israeli scientists have succeeded in deleting selected memories in rats, in what could be a useful tool in treating alcohol addiction.
In a paper published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers say they have managed to selectively delete memories related to and triggering alcohol consumption, while not harming other, unrelated memories.
This is not yet safe for humans at the moment. But suppose it was, would it be a great idea to erase bad experiences?
I'm not sure about you but inasmuch as no one really likes bad memories, I still believe they are sometimes necessary tools in growing up.
My view could be uninformed but if we take away the things that make us human what would we be left with? Bad memories serve as reminders and as a source of inspiration.
Traumatic events and bad memories make us stronger and give us a push to strive for better things and aim for perfection. Simply erasing such traumatic experiences would result in stagnating the progress of mankind.
I'm aware there are people who have been in worse and traumatic situations like rape, incest and other forms of severe abuse. But suppose they decided to erase such memories, won't it mean their abuser would screw them over again since they can't remember their past experience with that individual?
The film mentioned "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind" is a case in point of how wrong this is. All 3 characters who had the procedure done ended up far more bitter and scarred than they would have been with just the pain of the memories that ended up being erased.
This is an incredible innovation. However, I must say that with such discovery, we might end up emptying our brains in the name of clearing " viruses" form our memory.
We need bad memories after all what can't kill us can only make us stronger.
Tuesday 25 June 2013
Monday 3 June 2013
Exit Facebook, Enter Blogging
I
QUIT facebook this past Friday after been on that social network for over three
years.
I have a number of reasons why I chose to leave facebook. Over the recent past, facebook seem to have frozen in time and I was least surprised when a recent Pew Internet study revealed young people are tired of Facebook. Like someone has correctly observed, facebook has simply become a small place for people with small ideas.
I also hate the way the English language is becoming debased on facebook. Not that my english grammar is perfect, but I feel those who choose to use english as a medium of communication must write correctly, or endeavor to.
For someone who has a passion to enrich their english vocabulary, I couldn't stand the unsettling bad grammar, and deliberate misspellings on facebook.
So, blogging is pretty much my next chapter after facebook. To be honest, I find blogging quite challenging and intimidating. In a life of constant struggle, I've gotten myself this far on raw talent.
And though I've been writing since my junior high, half of the stuff I've written has been for my own reading pleasure.
But blogging is different. With blogging, I'm finally putting my baby out there. And I'm asking, "How do you feel about my baby? Is it ugly or beautiful?" And I'm sure a lot of folks out there will let me know.
It is every writer's fear to be criticized and I'm sure I'll get a lot criticism but I'm ready for it. I believe that which cannot kill me can only make me stronger.
Moreover, writing is a joy to me and I can't live without it. I have found writing as a way for me to release pain. I find it therapeutic to put my feelings onto paper than talking about them.
That need of putting thoughts and feelings onto paper has always been with me. And I wouldn't want it to go away because sooner or later, it is film, music and poetry that move people.
Writers, in my book are the heroes of the world. Besides informing and educating us, they articulate things we feel but don't know how to express. It is my desire to impact the world with words.
I have a number of reasons why I chose to leave facebook. Over the recent past, facebook seem to have frozen in time and I was least surprised when a recent Pew Internet study revealed young people are tired of Facebook. Like someone has correctly observed, facebook has simply become a small place for people with small ideas.
I also hate the way the English language is becoming debased on facebook. Not that my english grammar is perfect, but I feel those who choose to use english as a medium of communication must write correctly, or endeavor to.
For someone who has a passion to enrich their english vocabulary, I couldn't stand the unsettling bad grammar, and deliberate misspellings on facebook.
So, blogging is pretty much my next chapter after facebook. To be honest, I find blogging quite challenging and intimidating. In a life of constant struggle, I've gotten myself this far on raw talent.
And though I've been writing since my junior high, half of the stuff I've written has been for my own reading pleasure.
But blogging is different. With blogging, I'm finally putting my baby out there. And I'm asking, "How do you feel about my baby? Is it ugly or beautiful?" And I'm sure a lot of folks out there will let me know.
It is every writer's fear to be criticized and I'm sure I'll get a lot criticism but I'm ready for it. I believe that which cannot kill me can only make me stronger.
Moreover, writing is a joy to me and I can't live without it. I have found writing as a way for me to release pain. I find it therapeutic to put my feelings onto paper than talking about them.
That need of putting thoughts and feelings onto paper has always been with me. And I wouldn't want it to go away because sooner or later, it is film, music and poetry that move people.
Writers, in my book are the heroes of the world. Besides informing and educating us, they articulate things we feel but don't know how to express. It is my desire to impact the world with words.
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