People do remember things differently

[Profpointy]

A friend had a recollection from her childhood of breaking a lamp her mother had been fond of. Decades later her and her brother were helping their mum move and she came across the broken lamp. "Oh that's the lamp I broke when I was little". Her brother is confused and said that him and his pals broke it whilst arsing about, and said to her "you bad girl, you broke the lamp" and she'd somehow believed the proposterous allegation. I gather the allegation wasn't even to avoid blame but was just said as a joke by the then teenaged brother to his 5 year old sister, not anticipating that 30 years later she'd still be feeling guilty.

Another one I 've recounted before. As a teenager I was talking about religion to my mother and she mentioned that her and my dad hadn't pushed it either way but "wanted me to make up my own mind". I countered that she used to make me go to Sunday school when I was little. "What are you talking about? You only ever went twice". It seems I'd happily gone the first time, and had been pushed to go the second time, then put my foot down and never went again. My recollection was being sent every week so the deadly dull proceedings had clearly made a big impression on me after only two visits.

Another story from when I was arguing with someone on where exactly in a cave someone had had an accident. This was in the context of a controversy about installing a chain to climb at a particular place to forestall future accidents. The point was the guy had actually fallen in a different place from the climb the chain was to be on. The other guy was certain of his facts "as he'd been on the rescue". However I knew he was wrong as I'd actually come across the victim in the course of my own caving trip and had then instigated the rescue. Thus I knew exactly where he'd fallen - but the other guy was certain of his own partly manufactured memory. We'd both been there on the day, but the other chap, a couple of hours later

 

[yello]

My recollection was being sent every week so the deadly dull proceedings had clearly made a big impression on me after only two visits.

I think you're onto something there; the impression you had was so strong that it has lead to an 'over extension' of the memory. Shows again that memory is influenced by factors other than simple recoding of detail.

I'm enjoying these stories. They really have tapped into exactly what I was thinking when I started the thread.

 

[oldwheels]

Yes, maybe the different processes 'label' the representation somehow. Maybe that's how we know the difference.

Sometimes outside events influence dreams. I was asleep and dreaming about what I cannot now remember. As part of my dream a telephone rang and I answered it and spoke to somebody who answered. This was caused by my phone actually ringing as it then wakened me.

 

[classic33]

What about "memories" that couldn't possibly have happened?

Two that stand out for me are,
1. Running down a road(trying to get in front of a bull). I'm looking left over my shoulder, at a house that I know is on my right, over a ten foot high ditch.
It's not possible to look down at your own back, without some help.
2. Being wheeled into A&E, hospital style wheelchair, both arms are strapped to the wheelchair, with the "other arm" in a sling up and across the chest.

Both of these happened whilst having a fit/seizure.

 

[Seevio]

In the absence of any contradictory evidence, everything I remember actually happened.

That's my reality and I'm sticking to it.

 

[yello]

In the absence of any contradictory evidence, everything I remember actually happened.

That's my reality and I'm sticking to it.

It's probably what we all do in truth. What else can we do? You couldn't go on questioning the validity of every single memory you have. You'd come to a standstill otherwise, so you have to assume sometimes - your car is parked when you remember parking it. Luckily, for the most part, it's OK and life bumbles along.

It's when that "contradictory evidence" hits us that the we have the moments of existential crisis!

 

[yello]

What about "memories" that couldn't possibly have happened?

Both of these happened whilst having a fit/seizure.

The brain does funky stuff doesn't it? It has its hiccup moments too, which hopefully don't lead to anything more severe (though obviously one should pay attention to any warning signs)

I've written elsewhere of the occasional 'brain storms' I get where random images flood my brain. No idea why nor what they are as they're too fleeting and distant to grasp. Could be memories, or memories of dreams, or something new. They pass and normal service is resumed.

Tbh, I think it's just 'electrical activity' (if I can call it that) that the conscious mind is trying to make sense of - like a wake-dream but much much faster and more disjointed. Pretty weird when it's happening though.

 

[Lozz360]

False memory is a thing. I do remember posting the following about 18 months ago.

Post in thread 'What do you miss from long ago?'
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/what-do-you-miss-from-long-ago.261948/post-6021478

 

[yello]

False memory is a thing. I do remember posting the following about 18 months ago.

Post in thread 'What do you miss from long ago?'
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/what-do-you-miss-from-long-ago.261948/post-6021478

I'm taking the liberty of 'copy/paste' posting that here, hope you don't mind, as it's exactly what I mean...

Trolley buses in London were de-commissioned in London in 1962. I have a vivid memory of watching the overhead lines being dismantled along the Greenford Road where my Grandparents lived. I must have been three years old. I now understand that trolley buses never ran along the Greenford Road. So it must be a false memory. I still don't understand it though.

It's such a good example of memory doing what it does. Particularly the "don't understand it" bit. It's that blank, numb, incredulous feeling we get when we realise that our memory must be wrong, MUST be wrong. One could attempt to explain it as perhaps conflated memories, and you did see the line dismantling somewhere but just not near your grandparents house.

In my crude amateur shorthand, I might suggest that the two memories share something for you. Some kind of emotive response perhaps and so get linked by that. Your brain, in a fit of house cleaning efficiency, combines the two memories into one for expediency's sake.... or somesuch.

Maybe I'm weird but stuff like that enlivens me, makes me think that our brains are wonderful and complex things that I'd love to know more about. I could wibble on.... but I won't!

 

[palinurus]

your car is parked when you remember parking it

A more mundane example of a problem with memory. Got up in the morning and went to get my bike out- it wasn't there!

Took me some time to work out that I'd cycled to a local shop the day before, locked it up, and then walked home.

 

[yello]

When my motorbike was stolen, questioning my memory of where I parked it was my first thought. I had to run the possibility of having put it in a different parking bay, and even going around them to check, before reporting it to the police. But maybe my fear of looking like a chump controlled that thought process!