Memory

I just read an article in The Washington Post detailing a research team's theory that repressed memory is a cultural invention dating from 1800. This conclusion was based on a massive examination of literature from around the world for examples of an individual experiencing a traumatic event, forgetting it, then remembering it at a later point in time. I am still working to see if I can find an example to contradict them, but before I do I wanted to make two points.

First, this evidence is only relevant if we can also prove that in every documented case of repressed memory the patient had some form of access to literature or commentary regarding what a repressed memory was (therefore giving them the subconcious idea to invent one). And secondly, and perhaps most importantly, that there may be a very obvious explanation of their findings.

That is, that though the notion of a completely repressed memory may have come out of the romantic musings of the nineteenth century it does not mean that the brain does not alter memory as the concious would like to perceive it. For example, have you ever noticed that when you recall an particularly unpleasant experience years later (especially one in which you were partly to blame) that when discussing it with others who bore witness that they will correct you on certain aspects regarding your part in the said events? The point being that if we choose to remember only that which is desirable to us or that which paints us in a good light then it would make sense that at times we would alter a memory to the point that it is virtually "forgotten", but later, after a period of deep reflection perhaps, we "remember" that which we had chosen (perhaps only subconsciously) to "forget". Through this definition one can find many examples throughout history and literature as we have only to look at the classic deluded figure who thinks that their view of the world is only too real and forgets that will power can only push the parameters of reality too far before it pushes you back onto your ass (e.g. Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Nero, Richard III, etc.) It would also not be such a stretch of the mind to think that someone particularly upset about a certain event would find a way to mostly forget it, granting the nineteenth century writers who introduced it the artistic license to include such a notion in their works. What I propose then is an amendment of the definition of "repressed memories" so as to include all such memory modification rather than to completely chalk the concept up to cultural imagination.

http://biopsychlab.com/challenge.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/25/AR2007022501048.html