Aishwarya Week 15: Scientists Experiment on Editing Memories
Photo by New Atlas.
Whenever you type on a document virtually, you find it easier to fix mistakes by clicking backspace. However, the words written on paper require more effort to erase by physically picking up an object.
Similarly, there are situations where people might not want to cling to certain memories just like the desire to remove a word from a document. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 280 million people in the world face depression. Many individuals tend to cling to memories that people would want to forget.
As a result, the researchers discovered that the propofol had disrupted the reconsolidation of the bad memory that researchers asked participants to recall. This same concept ties to the words said by a neuroscientist, Steve Ramirez, on how the world does not just have the power to erase memories but reactivate any kind of memory. In other words, science fiction may become a reality.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/12/memory-how-science-fiction-can-become-reality
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324777#Well-timed-sedative-acts-on-bad-memories
Hi Aishwarya, when I read the title of your blog post, I immediately thought of a dystopian alternate reality where this technology was used to subjugate a population. However, I see from the message of your blog post that the effects of technology that could remove certain memories could actually be extremely positive. In respect to traumatic memories I could also see the moral aspect of the issue becoming much simpler. Given that the mind sometimes blocks traumatic memories by itself I could see an argument being made that we as humans have the right to block memories that are harming ourselves. Still, I could see a reality occurring where all memories that are slightly unpleasant will be removed—which I could see as being a mistake. Overall, my first impression was one that inspired caution, but as I read I started to feel more optimistic about this possibility.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting how you connected memory to mental health and depression. I normally think of both of those topics in terms of patterns and/or learned behaviors. Despite this thinking, I also think the medication you name, propofol, and other medications aimed at lessening the vividness of traumatic memories can be extremely useful in the future. I was also interested in the possibility of reactivating memories. As the topic for this quarter is memory, it makes sense that memory loss would be a common sub-topic. This connection to regaining memories acts as a reminder that there are two sides to memory. It can be a harmful reminder or a treasured item to continually reflect on.
There are certain tactics you use in your blog post to demonstrate the state of those who might benefit from a medication that removes memories. First, your description of the 280 million+ people who struggle with depression puts into context how important this research is. If not medication, it suggests that something needs to be done. The description of the experiment also works to achieve this same goal as your primary audience of high school students is encouraged to feel sympathy with the members of the experiment. Having to traverse a whole week with unpleasant memories stirring at the back of one's head does not sound like an experience anyone would choose or wish upon another. This further illustrates the magnitude of this issue and encourages us to honestly reflect on your post.
Hi Aishwarya! Your blog title immediately caught my attention, triggering memories of playful childhood musings about the possibility of editing our own memories (it really did only seem like a joke, something so seemingly impossible, at the time). I had always thought that if such a thing could exist, perhaps I could be rid of humiliating experiences, and other moments of tears that only hung to me as burdens. Perhaps, I wondered, in a world so technologically advanced, such a method would allow a solution for those struggling with mental/neurological struggles such as PTSD and dementia. As I delved into your blog, I was captivated by your approach of connecting the simple act of erasing words on paper to the complex process of memory manipulation. I enjoyed how your blog was not only so intriguing but also educational, supported by references to various sources and previous experiments. Despite my fascination, amidst this scientific progress, I can’t help but remind myself of the crucial ethical implications that must be considered. While the ability to edit memories holds promise for alleviating trauma and depression, it also raises profound questions about identity, moral responsibility, and the potential for misuse or exploitation of such technology, and I wonder how these issues will be addressed.
ReplyDeleteHey Aishwarya! This is a really interesting blog about the future of memory editing, something that honestly seems straight out of a futuristic movie. The experiment you mentioned, involving the disruption of memory reconsolidation using propofol (I still have no idea what this is), signifies a big step in understanding how memory could be manipulated or edited. This could definitely have profound implications for treating things like depression, PTSD, anxiety, where one or multiple traumatic memories could play a harmful or detrimental role in the person's daily life and mental health. Of course, like most science fiction technologies, the ethics of such technologies can't be forgotten. The ability to edit or change memories could potentially be misused, used without consent, or change someone completely. What if a criminal finds out how to use the technology and uses it on their victim so that they can't figure out who committed the crime? And also, memories, even "bad" ones, are part of what shapes our personalities and ourselves. Removing a "bad" memory could change someone's identity into someone completely different from who they were before. Moreover, the long-term effects are still not known. While there might be some success with the propofol, no one really knows what might happen to that person in the future.
ReplyDeleteHi Aishwarya,
ReplyDeleteI really like how you began your blog with an analogy comparing the familiar tasks of erasing words or deleting text to altering and deleting our memories. This set a clear stance on how some memories are easier to delete than others, or how memories can be easier for some people to delete than others. I thought it was interesting that one of the aspects associated with depression is holding on to memories that would generally be unwanted. The clinging on to negative thoughts would definitely build up over time and this could be one of the major burdening factors of the disorder. Next, I liked how you included new scientific progress on essentially making memory erasers. This was always a tool in science fiction that I thought was too powerful for people to really have, but also seemed very useful if used in a harmless context. The fact that it may soon become a reality is also important beyond the uses of possibly messing with people or other more villainous sci-fi uses. It could also have significant medical implications, for example, in treating those with PTSD. Because propofol has been observed to help edit traumatic memories, which is the basis of PTSD, the holding on to a traumatic memory, it could be a major step in approaching treatment for this disorder. Although some people may be opposed to the idea of having their memories manipulated at first, hopefully hearing success stories and testimonies for those whom it worked for will help convince them of its usefulness.