#93 Second-Hand Memories and Trust Issues

ByLukas
|

Memory stores the lessons we extract from learn life experience. And to do so, it relies, modifies, adds, subtracts, highlights, and hides.

What about second-hand memories? Accounts of past events we didn’t experience ourselves, wars, volcano eruptions, scientific discoveries,…

For knowledge to accumulate, to stand on the shoulders of giants, we need to transmit such lessons too. Not just as data or accounts of the past – also as memories.

But transmitting second-hand memories require trust.

Can we rely on the interpretation of others?

Who do we allow to control the narrative?

Parents? Elders? Teachers? Governments and politicians?

YouTubers? Influencers? Bloggers? Twitter gurus?

AI models and chatbots?

Objective data doesn’t exist. Objective memories don’t exist either. So if we can’t trust second-hand memories anymore, collective memory and our whole learning model collapses.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    #282 You can write every day

    ByLukas

    If you truly believe you can write every day – not that it is generally possible to write every day, but that YOU can write every day – you would be doing it already.

    So if you’re not, ask yourself:

    Do you believe YOU can write every day?

    If not, why not?

    Is it physically impossible for you to write something every day? A page, a paragraph, a sentence… a word?

    Deep down, you know the answer to that question.

    And now we’ve established you can write every day; what other excuses come up?

    That the work won’t be good?

    That the words won’t capture what you want to say?

    That you’ll disappoint others?

    That you’ll disappoint yourself?

    Put words to your fears, then ask yourself: what would happen if they all came true?

    Would that stop you from writing? Or would it liberate you?

    Would you maybe be just fine?

    What would it be like to have overcome your fears and still be writing anyway?

    Only one way to find out…

    Write. Every. Day.

  • |

    #168 Purposeful pursuits

    ByLukas

    I made an account on Instagram to stay in touch with friends abroad. Now I habitually spend hours a day scrolling through Instagram feeds. Is this a purposeful pursuit?

    I started journaling to clear my head. Now I habitually write and publish insights every day. Is this a purposeful pursuit?

    Good intentions and purposeful actions inevitably turn into a habit, and that can be a good or a bad thing.

    Constantly questioning our actions leads to paralysis.

    But once in a while, gaining presence and reaffirming your intentions can be enough to put you back on track.

  • #234 Fighting novelty

    ByLukas

    A new phone out of necessity – because the old one broke.
    A new phone out of longing for the rush of something new.

    A new business idea because changing circumstances have rendered the old business model unviable.
    A new business idea because the previous one is progressing slower than I expected, and I’m getting bored.

    There are many reasons to embrace novelty. And there are just as many reasons to fight it.

    Both are fine, as long as you know what’s driving you.
  • |

    #150 AI can write like us – but why do we write?

    ByLukas

    AI may write like us – but why do we write in the first place?

    AI may translate what we say – but why do we say what we say in the first place?

    AI may do what we do – but why do we do what we do in the first place?

    Does AI merely regurgitate and build upon what we’ve already said and done?

    Do we merely regurgitate and build upon what others have already said and done?

    What drives our words and actions?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *