• TRBoom
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    620 hours ago

    When I find myself remembering one awkward thing, I know chances are good I’ll remember the others…

    So a trick I’ve found is that when I remember one thing I purposefully recall the others, since it’s not a ‘surprise’ it won’t be so bad. As I remember them, I misremember them intentionally so that they’re less embarrassing. This works for some insane reason.

    Don’t know if it’ll work for everyone, but give it ago next time your blooper reel kicks off!

    • @[email protected]
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      318 hours ago

      Yes, you can actually “brainwash” yourself this way. Every time you remember something, you’re basically rewriting the memory into your brain. So every time you remember something, it becomes less reliable as it has more chances of being corrupted by new information.

      So if you remember a childhood memory, then for some reason you add a detail that wasn’t there before, that’s the new memory.

      Example: you remember going to the zoo as a kid, and you remember seeing a monkey. Then your mom shows you a photo album of your trip to the zoo, and in it, there’s a picture of you watching a lion.

      Next time you remember that trip to the zoo, you’ll probably remember seeing a lion too, even though originally you didn’t at all.

      Memory is incredibly unreliable.