Comments on: E-Memory and Human Nature

By: Richard Jordan

Richard Jordan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:10:42 +0000

Godron Bell and Jim Gemmell appear to be a mixture of Dr. Frankenstein, William Buckley and a PC none of which is endearing to the human condition. These two need to take a few “humanities classes”.

By: Constructing our memories « Jade Keller

Constructing our memories « Jade Keller — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:49:51 +0000

[...] recently listened to an NPR podcast about how digital technologies are becoming a surrogate form of memory. Facebook, blogs, even [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:43:37 +0000

Does anyone know the artist/song of the interlude music? It was played twice, once at 11:00.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:22:09 +0000

The Microsoft employees speaking on the program seemed to forget that important information such as medical records, birth certificates, and photographs are all recorded now, today, on devices people carry with them or have Readily available. The freeing experience they report having by not needing to search for a document in the physical realm rather than the digital one is already available by trusting your hospital with medical records, your phone with contacts, and your local government with important records. You may search where u have been by looking at your cars navigation history, your previous google map searches, and phone applications such as loopt. The microphone and video aspect is currently added to anyone’s memory bank by taking recordings on their devices, storing them on the computer, and emailing them around for others to experience as well. If what Microsoft is selling here is the consolidation of these memory aids, Apple has beat them with the iPhone, iPod, and compatible computers and applications. These researchers clearly misunderstand the storing of information in the brain, assuming if we are not required to remember intimate moments of our lives, brain space will be used for something more rewarding. They also lack a fundamental understanding of why people Twitter, facebook, blog and myspace: they do this to make connections to other humans, to self reward by appearing witty through one hundred twenty word or less quips, and to spy on friends and family, NOT to chronicle every piece of minutae in their lives. This is an unnecessary consolidation of facts that will only lead to a realization of self-unimportance upon watching your own daily activities. The brain fabricates to downplay harmful existential crises and replaying the details of true life will erase these capabilities harming the human psyche.

By: justanother

justanother — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:32:02 +0000

Has anyone watched this movie “Gattaca” from 1997. It presents a major interesting argument between a naturally born human being and a perfect genetically engineer human being, who has stronger will to “survive” at the end.

Great movie.

By: Viv

Viv — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:24:38 +0000

The original guests were a bit dopey and didn’t make much sense. The “don’t delete anything” mantra is insane actually. It reminds me of my mother-in-law who “doesn’t throw out anything”. Old and useless things pile up and she can’t get rid of them. Sometimes they even make there way in the mail to us and we toss them.
I think that there is some rationally sane purposes for our technology and I intend to use them in a rational fashion. But I also intend to focus my attention more firmly in the future.

By: justanother

justanother — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:04:23 +0000

We have to remember the guest from Microsoft sounded just like a salesman, phrases like “Don’t you want your media to record everything for you”, sounded just like those TV commercials. And we are so easily sold.

By: justanother

justanother — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:57:07 +0000

******I think Catherine’s point was a good one and these two guys sound rather arrogant telling her to join an Alzheimer’s support group and toss her photo albums.

There is a point to be made for overload and its negative effects.******

I thought so too. Catherine was simply pointing out her concerns.

What is wrong with the last caller Betsy?? I hope she can stay to the topic instead of criticizing another caller about how they sounded. And Betsy is whiny.

Catherine didn’t sound rude at all to me, strange how words travels through ears and come out totally different.

By: Victoria

Victoria — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:10:00 +0000

I think it was great to hear how snotty and flippant, and shallow, those two micro-soft heads were.
As for the Alzheimers comment: having Alzheimers is not the same thing as not remembering what you ate at some diner in Arizona. Not to mention, I would guess that hoarding all your life’s moments on digital recall would lead to something like Alzheimers – I’m with the “peanut in a Mason jar” comment: like limbs left unused, a brain not having to remember anything will atrophy soon enough.
Also, what happens if you lose that little doohickey in your pocket?
Doug Rushkoff was a breath of sensibility. He was intelligent, critical, and had a sense of humour! I’d way rather hang out with him than those two recording freaks. “Don’t you feel more confident having your cell phone remember everything?” Hell no.
To Tom and Fortran Girl who followed: thanks for those posts.

By: Pat

Pat — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:39:59 +0000

The guest’s sneering, condescending replies to thoughtful, well articulated concerns raised by some of the callers was not in keeping with On Point’s usual high standards of discourse. It belied the arrogance of technocrats quick dismiss contrary views as rooted in ignorance. Doing so they are sure to garner the Luddite backlash they mock.

By: marissa

marissa — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:18:39 +0000

let me elaborate..

we hardly use media to record experiences anymore, we use cameras and the internet as audiences (and mirrors) to perform to. therefore, our memories aren’t experiences anymore, they are performances. they don’t represent the reality of the present which they are supposed to be recording, they are creating what we think or want that reality to be. our media-driven memories exemplify baudrillard’s second stage toward simulacrum (perversion of reality).

think of teenagers’ profiles and pictoral/verbal recordings on facebook and other areas of the internet. i think the ability and immense encouragement to constantly record and broadcast of oneself (or the perverted reality of oneself, rather) can cause serious identity problems.

By: marissa

marissa — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:07:03 +0000

we don’t use media to record, we use it to perform. our memories aren’t experiences anymore, they are performances. our media-driven memories exemplify baudrillard’s second stage toward simulacrum (perversion of reality).

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:57:58 +0000

This so called enhanced system is a lazy, inadequate, cop-out argument for what will never replace or substitute our God given brains. The Human Brain will always be superior to any technology we can develop or invent.
The real problem is that individuals do not train or exercise their brains to remember those things that are important.

Just because we live in a digital age doesn’t mean that everything should adapt or be changed to it. Our brains are fine and with much activity we can remember everything if we choose. I for one do not want my most precious details, identity, and other intimate details in some digital cloud, or a device no matter how sophisticated it may be. People should try to use their brains more and it will serve them until death.
Again nothing will ever surpass in storage or capacity the human brain. There are reasons hard to explain why people have selective memory, but having this e-memory will not solve the problem.

By: Marc Freedman OTR/L

Marc Freedman OTR/L — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:47:24 +0000

Databases of our digitally capturable interactions can be used in the development of cognitive prosthetics.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:40:20 +0000

The idea that we get comfortable with storing memory elsewhere but our heads is quite concerning. We have become so dependent on technology that we practically live our lives on auto-pilots, which may actually be counterproductive as far as our cognitive abilities and healthy mind are concerned.

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:19:18 +0000

Organization… Categorization… Archives…

I thought this discussion could have benefited from someone in the Library and Information Science realm. There was little (if no) description of how the digital information would be categorized and by whom. Would there be a standard taxonomy? How would it be migrated and managed when the technology that created the data is outdated? A personal archive of the magnitude presented, while likely, is an organizational challenge to put it mildly. Tom and producers – Please include an expert on digital libraries or digital archives in future similar discussions!

By: BAS

BAS — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:15:07 +0000

‘HAVING’ memories (i.e. having access to digital or physical images and words relating to moments in time already past) and ‘having instant access to information’ (practical data) is not the same as ‘rememberING’, or knowing – or understanding anything – is it?; it’s more like interesting shorthand and certainly not art. And ‘having’ is not the same as ‘being’. Somehow language seems inadequately nuanced in this discussion, unable to distinguish between direct and indirect experience.

Living versus clinging to anecdotes and images as knowledge and perhaps as a substitute for living in real time?

Are there a wealth of opportunities in the tech. abilities to record? Surely, especially if we handle them lightly and if we sink into wondering what and who else we all are and can sink into ‘not knowing’ as a precursor to seeing newly. But I interpret a lack of curiosity to inquire into sense-experience and the nature of memory itself in these guests. A bit of a ‘material’ discussion, eh?.

By: Joyce

Joyce — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:45:08 +0000

As a nurse I have recommended detailed diaries for people. People with Meniers can benefit from tracking their stress levels and salt intake. Dieters benefit from keeping track of their eating and exercise. People benefit all of the time from keeping a journal. People learn what triggers an allergy attack. Might this be used in similar ways only with smart technology? One could possible dream of having computer input given to us with specific detail about out life that day.

By: catherine

catherine — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:23:21 +0000

this is catherine chiming back in. I got a laugh from the guests response to my “hoarding” comment ,,,as a matter of fact I work with alzhiemer’s clients Memory is a fascinating thing and the loss of memory is nothing to kid about. Down here in SC all it takes is one good hurricane to claim all one’s material memories. thanks tom for having these guests on ,,I had no idea that keeping track of one’s every moment was possible ..and we have had a good debate about whether it is desirable
catherine on edisto island

By: Charlie Mc

Charlie Mc — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:09:19 +0000

Those who don’t learn from the past are condemned to repeat it; but focusing on the past to such an extent prevents one from living in the present moment.
I have journalled during difficult times in my past to avoid making the same mistakes over and over. It helped.
Chuang Tzu once wrote: “You never find happiness until you stop looking for it.” It’s not in the future, nor in the past, but in the PRESENT MOMENT.
If you learn to meditate in the present moment, you will never need fear forgetting.