[lit-ideas] Re: 'Eternal Sunshine' drug selectively erases memories

JK:
>>I hate to say it because cynic I am not (usually) -- but w/out your memories 
>>you wouldn't know you lacked your memories.<<

Makes me think of "Blade Runner", of implanted memories to make the replicants 
"real".  I rate "Blade Runner" as one of the very best movies I've seen, on a 
par with "The Pawnbroker".  In "Blade Runner" the replicants come off as more 
'human' than any of the humans.  God, I love it.

My problem is, of course, short-term memory.  Sometimes I think I'm living the 
film "Memento" -- an OK film.  But so what?  We're all just trying to interpret 
the experiences we can remember, which after a full day of 
claptrapcluttermutter isn't much to work with.  Best to just let it all wash 
out to sea.  Wait like the sand crabs for the tide to come in and see what it 
brings this time.

The Greeks believed, or so I believe they believed, that one had to drink of 
the river Lethe before entering the netherworld in order to forget their 
previous existence.  That makes sense to me.  As a kid I used to wonder about 
heaven and how I would feel about not having a body anymore.  I've always 
thought my body was me.  I couldn't imagine me without it. What good is 
existing without the senses?  God would have to wipe the slate clean or else 
he'd have a lot of homesick souls moping about heaven all day.

My 2 cents.

Mike Geary
Memphis 

  

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Julie Krueger 
  To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 10:12 AM
  Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: 'Eternal Sunshine' drug selectively erases memories


  I hate to say it because cynic I am not (usually) -- but w/out your memories 
you wouldn't know you lacked your memories.  


  On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 8:59 AM, Ursula Stange <Ursula@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

    "Eternal Sunshine" refers to the movie, of course.

    One of the comments at the bottom of the page mentions potential uses of a 
memory-cleansing drug.   Torturers could make you forget that you were 
tortured, for instance.   An even worse scenario occurred to me.   Imagine a 
torturer threatening you with this drug -- threatening to wipe your memory 
clean.  Wouldn't you tell them everything you know (and even things you don't 
know) to hang on to your memories of your childhood, your parents, your 
children, your first kiss...   Who would you be without your memories?   
    
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/brain/dn15025-eternal-sunshine-drug-selectively-erases-memories.html
 
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  Julie Krueger

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