8/16/09

Remember?

The other day, I happened upon Season of the Witch at the nearby Dollar Tree. The title caught my eye, as well as the cover (I am a sucker for the ginger). Reading the inside jacket hooked me AND it was just ONE DOLLAR! The story was excellent and thought provoking.

Besides being a love story and a thriller, the main theme of this book revolved around the human mind and memory. The idea was posited: what makes us special and unique among the animals (and what gives us our souls) is our ability to remember and recall. Our modern brains are mush, for we remember, retain and recall nothing compared to what we used to. The muscles that are our brains have atrophied to the point where we are scarcely soulful beings. We would be complete morons in the face of our ancient ancestors (heck if you think about it even 100 year ancestors) The Ancient Greeks and Romans could remember entire sagas, stories, daily knowledge we take for granted (recipes, maps, etc.); reams (rather scrolls) of knowledge that puts computers to shame. The blame is put squarely on the advent of books, TV and computers. We don't need to remember anything any more because we rely on these memory crutches and so our brains are withering. We retain virtually nothing in our own brains.

For me this is completely and utterly fascinating. One I have always been fascinated with the brain and consciousness and two my memory is TERRIBLE and I have always wondered how to fix it. I also worry what will happen to me at 50--will I have any memory at all?

I am wondering if I can find ways to truly exercise my brain, turning it into a true organic computer-like it is meant to be. Or is it too late?

Labels: books, goals

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