The memory is a system that receives, processes, files and recalls information. The human memory is different from the automatic memory of a PC in that it resides within a being that has awareness, feelings, intentions and free will. The human memory is constantly changing in response to stimuli. This is why it is difficult to measure by means of a memory test.
A baby’s memory is like a blank sheet of paper, waiting to be filled in. The paradox of the mind is that when we stop remembering, we cannot receive any new information; memory, time and awareness are all linked.
One other problem with memory tests is that even though we have to administer them in real time, our level of awareness directs and conditions our attention, and we can lose objectivity. The mind selects and filters, and rather than being a passive receiver, it tends to be the active generator of memory.
Without memory we would be vegetables: unable to see, hear or function. Because we are what we remember, the memory is the springboard of our personal development. This is why a memory test has to include the following questions:
1) What causes our memory to fade or disappear?
The education system does not teach us how to develop an active memory. The basic principle of emotional intelligence is to know what you want: to know yourself. Seneca said “there are no favorable winds for the person who does not know where he wants to get to”.
We also do not learn time management or observation. So we quite unfairly blame our memory, when the one who is really to blame is the one who proceeds with auto pilot. In the absence of any effective tools we use brute force, but we should not forget that we only remember 5% of what we hear, 15% of what we see and 90% of what we do. We therefore have to convert perception into action. One other thing that we lack is the ability to coordinate our sensory memory that is instantly erased, operates in the short term, and lasts only for a minute or two, with our long term memory that is with us for a lifetime. The key is to know how to organize our memories because the person who is disorganized can never find what they are looking for.
2) What indicators should we look for if we want to know whether loss of memory is becoming a problem?
In order to answer this question the memory test must also be associated with an intelligence test.
However, more effective than any memory test is to observe how we are getting on in our own lives. For Aristotle, “reality is the only truth”, which is why we need to control the ability to find what we are looking for in our memories. Forgetfulness and memory compete in the same space, and it is important that we are able to keep them in balance. In his book "Funes the Memorious", Borges describes a person in torment because he remembered everything without being able to work through any of it. Forgetfulness and memory are two halves of a single system.
The greatest rate of memory loss happens within the first 8 hours, and afterwards proceeds at a slower rate. So our ability to recall follows the “just in time” principle, in line with the curve of forgetfulness.
3) What can we do to get our memory back and how can we avoid losing it prematurely?
The best approach is to carry out another test in addition to a memory test, one that measures our development potential. There is no such thing as a good or a bad memory, but there are good and bad techniques for memorizing. As we forget things because we need to forget them, the key is to be aware of them: awareness is the driver of action. In addition to awareness, we have to avoid allowing garbage into our memories because of the “garbage in, garbage out” principle; we have to choose and keep only that which is of value.
The memory can also be influenced by systematic activity and by mental gymnastics. We have to replace brute force and passive repetition with quality, using active reconstruction in a multimedia format: when we go to the cinema we remember the movie without any effort whatsoever. In order to generate these mnemonic imprints we have to capture information using both hemispheres of our brains, convert the perception into a premeditated action and consolidate the record with physical acts such as drawing, photography or video recording. In its artistic mode, typical of the right hemisphere, the mind’s power is optimized. And as Einstein said, art allows us to reach the most profound truths in the most straightforward manner. A good prompt with strong images and a well chosen and easy to remember name, will facilitate recall. You have to learn how to make the film yourself. |
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