The art of remembrance as a literary form is called memoir. Alternatively (and less dramatically) we also call it autobiography: literally, “the writing of one’s own life.” Whereas autobiography seems to have an emphasis on getting to the truth of matters, memoir acknowledges that human perception is itself flawed. When writing a memoir, the writer is somehow in cahoots with the reader, knowing little more than what’s printed; the memoir reader is simply along for the ride and the memoirist is free to employ literary technique to make the ride more memorable. Neither side of the reader-writer equation can know what is not known, after all. That’s the problem with memory.
Of course there are many problems with memory. Memory problems range from physiological to pharmacological to psychological. All of our human knowledge has its foundations in memory - the humanities and sciences depend on quick, easy access to memories. The limitations of memory are at the root of our need to invent campfire stories, books and eventually libraries. Memories are best stored in shared social spaces. Anyone suffering from amnesia will tell you, memory is nothing without accessibility.
Here at Dandelife, memory is the factor of demand. Our members come to this site so that they can recollect and relate with one another. You could say memory is our business. Visitors come to the site to be reminded of events in their own pasts. Together, members as publishers, visitors as readers and us as the venue owners are engaging in a rather old experiment. Dandelife follows in a long tradition of personal story-telling; whether it’s a story told by a constellation, printed matter or in a social network, there are advantages and limitations beyond the medium itself. That is, memory is imperfect. When it is accessible, it is unreliable. When it is inaccessible, it is at time even ‘inconjurable.’ (What’s the word for something you cannot bring yourself to remember? No pun intended.)
For the next couple of weeks I am going to be reading and writing extensively about memory. More specifically, “The Problem with Memory.” I’ll be posting entries that are practical and informative both. They will cover topics ranging from the many types of memory to how memory works, from how to improve memory and retention, to recognizing and dealing with common memory problems such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, I’ll also be writing extensively on how you can preserve your own memories both on this site and elsewhere.
