Remembering The Truth

Any neuroscientist will tell you that we only remember a mere fraction of a percentage of everything we actually experience in life. And, the so-called memories we do have are mostly reconstructed images based on relatively little and notoriously dubious information that is actually retained by our brains. When you "remember" what you had for breakfast this morning you are relying more on your brains ability to fantasize than you are on any actual memory of what you ate. This is all confirmed and frequently studied by neuroscientists all the time, but hasn't yet quite worked its way into our social consciousness, much less our cultural philosophy.

If the direct implications of this scientific knowledge were embraced by our culture then it would undermine many of the basic tenets and principles that our entire social system is based upon. For example, our justice system alone would be forced to abandon all human testimony in court, "expert" or otherwise, as unreliable and arbitrary; which numerous studies directed at such testimony has consistently confirmed. Our current faith in human memory, both other people's and our own, would have to be abandoned along with all the cultural structures that depend on it which are intricately intertwined with all our institutions and belief systems. It would quite literally mean the end of civilization as we know it!

Of course that's not going to happen anytime soon. The power of consensus is still in effect and officially in fully inforced control of what "truths" we are allowed to assimilatein this world. But, as individuals we might be able to break away from the "norm" and think for ourselves once in a while, in private at least. And when we do then we should contemplate the information available to us, and try to understand what it means without being afraid of what that might be.

The "fact" that we only actually remember a very very small fraction of what we experience means something very shocking and important. It means that we are NOT who we think we are, because our thoughts rely on our memories. But, the fact that we can't really remember our experiences doesn't mean that they don't effect us. In fact, our experiences directly shape who, or more correctly, what we are. So there is a clear disconnection between who, or what, we really are (based on our memories) and who, or what, we really are (based on our experiences). This disconnection is the primary source of delusion, misunderstanding, and all prejudice in our world. It separates us from the truth of who, and what, we really are. And if you've been paying attention in life, then you should already have at least an idea of what that "truth" is, and an even clearer idea of what it ISN'T.

(J.D. January 2, 2015)