There was a recent Radio Lab about memory and one of the ideas in it really stuck with me as being very interesting, equally very sensical, almost in an obvious way. Not obvious in the 'I could have thought of that' way, but in that 'ah that explains a lot' way.
The bit of information was about what happens when we remember something. The basic idea is that, when you remember a memory, you destroy it, gone, poof! The only way to be able to remember it again is to resave it. So there you go, read from memory bank A, experience, write to memory bank B. Only, you didn't write it exactly the same, you've changed it a little, you have just lived inside your head a little bit.
The ahhhh part of this for me, is that this is very powerful, and affects us in very powerful ways. The more you think about something, the more you change it to the way you perceive it. Every little thought about it is a little more oomph behind it. This I believe is the power behind wishful thinking, behind downward spirals, perhaps behind fear and eternity.
The more we really really want something the more thinking about it justifies the thought to us. The more we worry about something, the more the fear it drives builds. This is what makes Joel in Eternal Sunshine want to forget. The flip side though is, the more we remember pleasantness, the more pleasant it becomes. The more pleasant the memories we make about something, the more it becomes eternal. This, is what makes Joel want it all back.
