Blog Post #9

Memory is one of the largest, most important things that defines who we are as human beings. Our memory makes us complex, intelligent, and able to progress. Without memory, we would never be able to remember any schooling, how to drive, or how to work at job. Our lives would almost be in a pointless standstill without memory.
Clive Wearing is a man who has no memory at all. He was a talented musician, but then one day he had a headache, which progressed into having no memory longer than 20 seconds. He is also a husband. Clive's wife handles his memory damage very well. Sometimes she seems frustrated and annoyed a little bit, but most of the time she is patient and completely understanding. I know that I would have a completely hard time of dealing with a husband who had trouble with remembering basic things. I think I would be completely furstrated with him all the time. That sitaution makes me feel very thankful for the good memory that I have. Even though my memory isn't perfect, it functions pretty well for everyday life, which I am totally greatful for.
Memory is much more complicated than I could have ever guessed. I had no idea that there were different processes of memory and different types of memory either. I now see memory as a complex job that my mind performs all the time.
I do in some ways now see my memories differently because the book talked about storage decay and forgetting memories. Our brains have so many things to remember, we are bound to forget some memories. I do trust many of my memories, but now I kind of have to wonder because the book even states that sometimes when we do things, our mind doesn't even remember it at all because it is labled as "not important". I did the excercise "Short Term Memory Encoding and Rehearsing" and I did pretty well, I think my short term memory is much better than my long term memory.
One significant concept that I learned in this section was the relationship between stress hormones and memory. Stronger emotional experiences cause stronger, more reliable memories due to the stress hormones that are produced. This is important because it answers the question of why we usually remember really bad events that have happened to us. Some people can remember a car crash or a robbery super vividly. I can apply this to my life by sharing with people why they remember a really bad memory very vividly, and I can keep it in mind for myself too.