192 Marbles
Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.
Nietzche
I recently read an article in Wired magazine called “The Forgetting Pill Erases Painful Memories Forever.” The article discusses the recent findings of how chemical inhibitors can be used to help control memory recall. It appears that the day is close at hand when you could choose to to take a variety of pills to erase memories such as “the scent of a former lover or the awful heartbreak of a failed relationship.” According to the article, “in the very near future, the act of remembering will become a choice.”
Interesting… if given the choice would I opt to remember Ex-man? Whereas it’s taken me nearly six months (and counting) in the process of letting go, I can’t say that I’d choose to forget him. Pragmatically, if he were taken out of the equation of my life through selective memory manipulation, I’d have the details of our two children to explain. But if the cocktail of chemicals could manipulate the thoughts and feelings while maintaining the memories, perhaps they’d have a customer. This is precisely what is promised for the future.
The movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” explores erasing a lost love from memory. In it, the “doctor” tells Jim Carrey’s character that his ex “was not happy and she wanted to move on. We provide that opportunity.” They systematically removed all context of Carrey from her memory to allow for a clean slate (or spotless mind). The subsequent events provide an interesting study of attraction, love, and loss (I won’t provide any spoilers). An excellent post breakup flick choice.
Perhaps the most pressing question is, knowing what I know now, would I have chosen Ex-man? The unfortunate answer is yes. It may be in extremely poor taste to compare our relationship to a disease but in some ways, it was. I’ve often heard cancer patients claim that their disease brought them more strength and awareness, things that they would not have had access to had they not had their oncological nightmare. I feel similarly about my relationship with Ex-man.
So maybe it’s less about the significance of memories and more about my choices in framing my past relationship and breakup in the present moment. The present is the area where I have more freedom of movement.
Given the choice, would you erase your ex from your memory? Would you choose him/her again? How much freedom do you have to re-frame your relationship in the present moment?
Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.
Nietzche
I recently read an article in Wired magazine called “The Forgetting Pill Erases Painful Memories Forever.” The article discusses the recent findings of how chemical inhibitors can be used to help control memory recall. It appears that the day is close at hand when you could choose to to take a variety of pills to erase memories such as “the scent of a former lover or the awful heartbreak of a failed relationship.” According to the article, “in the very near future, the act of remembering will become a choice.”
Interesting… if given the choice would I opt to remember Ex-man? Whereas it’s taken me nearly six months (and counting) in the process of letting go, I can’t say that I’d choose to forget him. Pragmatically, if he were taken out of the equation of my life through selective memory manipulation, I’d have the details of our two children to explain. But if the cocktail of chemicals could manipulate the thoughts and feelings while maintaining the memories, perhaps they’d have a customer. This is precisely what is promised for the future.
The movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” explores erasing a lost love from memory. In it, the “doctor” tells Jim Carrey’s character that his ex “was not happy and she wanted to move on. We provide that opportunity.” They systematically removed all context of Carrey from her memory to allow for a clean slate (or spotless mind). The subsequent events provide an interesting study of attraction, love, and loss (I won’t provide any spoilers). An excellent post breakup flick choice.
Perhaps the most pressing question is, knowing what I know now, would I have chosen Ex-man? The unfortunate answer is yes. It may be in extremely poor taste to compare our relationship to a disease but in some ways, it was. I’ve often heard cancer patients claim that their disease brought them more strength and awareness, things that they would not have had access to had they not had their oncological nightmare. I feel similarly about my relationship with Ex-man.
So maybe it’s less about the significance of memories and more about my choices in framing my past relationship and breakup in the present moment. The present is the area where I have more freedom of movement.
Given the choice, would you erase your ex from your memory? Would you choose him/her again? How much freedom do you have to re-frame your relationship in the present moment?
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