The fact that our memory is nearly 100% fallible (note that I am not saying 100% wrong) means that to some extent we need to doubt what we have really experienced in the past. Our own personal life story is full of bits and pieces that our minds have made up to “fill in the gaps” between the reality that we actually do remember correctly.
I can think of plenty of things from my past where I am absolutely SURE that I cannot remember all the details. I also remember some events (seemingly) crystal clear and as if they happened yesterday.
However, even with those, if I try to add detail to these crystal clear memories I realise that – actually – I am seeing through a glass darkly.
Those who study such things can tell us that just how fallible our memories can be and, in controlled experiments where there are clear ways to check the accuracy of memories it is shown time and again that we don’t do the remembering bit very well – even going so far as to deny in the face of incontrovertible evidence that we ever remembered things in a different way previously.
So it would seem that we cannot really tell whether something really happened, or we dreamt it, or we thought about it happening but didn’t go through with it, or someone told us it happened to them and we assume that we were with them, and so on….. Our life stories could really be figments of our imagination.
Of course, it is not all fiction (well at least for most people) however it is rather difficult for any of us to tell what is and what isn’t. I have found myself relating stories to people and being very aware that I was ‘making up’ some bits to ensure coherence in the story – depending on who I was telling it to I would sometimes admit to that fact – other times I would quite happily fabricate the story to suit. There are some stories that I KNOW are accurate – well at least I think they are – while others I am pretty sure that they have grown in the telling.
Can I make it clear here that I am not accusing anyone of lying about what they remember – they remember what they do and believe it is the truth. Nor am I suggesting that it is impossible to remember things clearly – as I say – there are plenty of episodes in my life that I believe are as accurate in my mind now as they ever were. All that I am pointing out is that round the edges even those memories are clouded somewhat.
So – does it matter? – probably not – at least not until you come face to face with a contradiction, whether that be some physical evidence or whether it be someone who shares the memory, but who has a quite different recollection.
How is it resolved? Again, it probably doesn’t matter, unless there are ‘costs’ to that in the way of embarrassment, shame, personal image, or whatever.
It doesn’t take much effort for me to realise that I do NOT remember everything that has happened to me – even today, never mind last week, last year or over the decades. As I said earlier, even where I do have a memory, that is (at best) highlights (or lowlights!) and (at worst) a complete fiction. There have been a few occasions recently when I have become very aware of that – someone says “do you remember when…..” and I think “yes….. sort of” and I can remember some bits but not others. I think I have been honest in admitting to what I ‘might’ be fabricating, but I really don’t know.
So – what of history – is that a similar ‘collective’ fiction. There are many examples of different regimes/cultures putting a different interpretation on history – so that is not so far fetched.
Will that change? Well with the advent of technology that can – effectively – store information it will be relatively easy to check which day the train was late and I didn’t get to Edinburgh on time for my lecture (or similar). However, as far as I know there is no way to record thoughts (yet!!), so given that so much of each of our lives is a “figment of our imagination” and how much our inner thinking drives our actions will all that information really be helpful?
Yes, to a point I guess, but it won’t record why I said such and such to so and so or why I felt the need to write a blog on the inaccuracy of memory!! All that will be recorded is the physical manifestation. Would I like to see an action replay of my whole life? – probably not – I certainly wouldn’t want anyone else to! Some things need to remain secrets. When it comes to recording everything I have ever thought – even more so – some need to remain exactly where they are. On the other hand, there have been so many magical moments throughout my life that I think I would like to have had recorded – but to what end? My memories of some have faded, of others are still vivid (if possibly inaccurate!) – isn’t that enough?