Memories Make Us Who We Are | Breakthrough

Steve believes our identities are built

Steve believes our identities are built on memory

you think about memory it is the thing

you think about memory it is the thing that threatened unifies our overall

that threatened unifies our overall

that threatened unifies our overall sense of being so without it we become

sense of being so without it we become

sense of being so without it we become stuck in time right and we lose our

stuck in time right and we lose our

stuck in time right and we lose our identity

but how reliable is memory even in a

but how reliable is memory even in a well-functioning brain we used to think

well-functioning brain we used to think

well-functioning brain we used to think that memories were really stable that

that memories were really stable that

that memories were really stable that you form one memory and it’s not

you form one memory and it’s not

you form one memory and it’s not ever-changing it’s just stabilized in

ever-changing it’s just stabilized in

ever-changing it’s just stabilized in your brain and that memory forever is so

your brain and that memory forever is so

your brain and that memory forever is so now we know that for all intents and

now we know that for all intents and

now we know that for all intents and purposes when you recall a memory you’re

purposes when you recall a memory you’re

purposes when you recall a memory you’re constantly updating it with new

constantly updating it with new

constantly updating it with new information every time you may visit a

information every time you may visit a

information every time you may visit a memory becomes vulnerable it can be

memory becomes vulnerable it can be

memory becomes vulnerable it can be changed

changed

changed say for instance two people on a date

say for instance two people on a date

say for instance two people on a date end up at a bar things go well later the

end up at a bar things go well later the

end up at a bar things go well later the woman recalls the scene but each time

woman recalls the scene but each time

woman recalls the scene but each time she remembers it small details may

she remembers it small details may

she remembers it small details may change over time the details add up the

change over time the details add up the

change over time the details add up the same thing is happening to her day each

same thing is happening to her day each

same thing is happening to her day each time he revisits the memory it subtly

time he revisits the memory it subtly

time he revisits the memory it subtly alters

until eventually he and she have very

until eventually he and she have very different memories of what the bar

different memories of what the bar

different memories of what the bar looked like that night how they were

looked like that night how they were

looked like that night how they were dressed or even how they behaved the

dressed or even how they behaved the

dressed or even how they behaved the changes in memory can be especially

changes in memory can be especially

changes in memory can be especially dramatic if one person’s feelings about

dramatic if one person’s feelings about

dramatic if one person’s feelings about the other have changed a good memory

the other have changed a good memory

the other have changed a good memory can turn bad