If there was a way to remove part of your memory would you do it?

That’s a very interesting question. I have often thought that it would be so nice to be able to pick and choose which memories to remove. As I get older, my memory isn’t as good as it used to be and sometimes just remembering people’s names is hard. But I never seem to be able to forget some of the awful things that have happened (like heartbreaks and humiliations). So yeah, I guess if I could pick and choose what to remember and what to forget, I probably would.

ohhhh yeah. seeing gram naked was not pleasant.

I would remove all the useless information, at least, assuming that would give me some more “free space”, like on a hard drive.

Basically, I would like to designate a part of my brain as RAM memory, a place I can store things for a while, and then free up that space for something else. e.g. Going on vacation to france? learn some french, and delete it when you get back.

EDIT: I would also delete the movie Fight Club, and all the Star Trek episodes, and watch it all for the first time again.

I would remove the memory of my “first time” with that sick bastard.

That’d be impossible for there to be no side effects at least for me. Every memory of mine reminds me of who I was, thus allowing me to be who I am. Though I hate many, I still hold them dear to me as constant reminders of what I must do and what I must never do again.

I’d remove most of the first ten years of my life. Not so much my full memories, but to forget the place.

Hmmm… This ones arousing some emotion.. I wouldn’t. But thats me. And Wouldn’t this create problems with personality? Given that it develops based on your physical and emotional experiences? Sure we all forget things, but we remember important things for a reason. Like ‘the stove is hot’. I dunno, some people will tell you the CIA has been doing this for years anyway.

Arbornaut, that’s a good point and why Instead of putting all of my memories, I just selected to forget the place.

Yes….I would gratefully accept the mind eraser for the many torn up bodies I have seen in car/motorcycle accidents, pulling the plug and the end results of a firearm induced suicide I have witnessed.

No! First off what if they mess up the procedure and I forget the night my brother taught me he loved me. Or what if they delete all memory of my true friend. Second off I wouldn’t want to get rid of a good memory, and I want all bad memories because they they teach us lessons. No memory is being erased from this head.

I would remove ALL the mistakes I’ve done in the past, so I can stop thinking about it!

No. As much as I hate bad memories those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

Yup, middle school.

A favorite poem of mine:
“The birds are moulting.
If only man could moult also
his mind once a year its errors,
his heart once a year its useless passions.” -James Lane Allen

It’s hard to say. So much of my heartache shaped my character, and I would fear that without those memories, I would be someone else.

I think that I may have had it done already.
But I’m not sure.

I agree with @filmfann. I’ve had my fair share of heartache, but that heartache defined my character. I’d like to forget some jerks that came into my life, but if the memories of them were gone, then I would never know the type of people I wouldn’t want in my life. But then again, forgetting some heartache would cause my depression to lift. So, I’m really unsure.

No. Removing the memory doesn’t remove the emotional response, so at least when I have the memory I can figure out how to change the emotional response instead of wondering why I’m so panicky around certain things.

As @filmfann said. All my mistakes and sadnesses make me me. If I forgot my mistakes, wouldn’t I likely do some of it again and have to suffer anew? don’t get to say anew much where I live

Yes. I’d remove a incident where I found texts back and forth between a partner of mine and a friend of his who was clearly in love with him and though he didn’t reciprocate her feelings, he didn’t discourage her either. This is the type of slippery slope I’ve been down before with my own self so I was devastated to have an instance of being on the other end and knowing the power of emotionally affairs.

I have considered at, as there are painful memories in my life that I’d like to forget. But excising the memories would not remove the underlying sadness that they’ve brought into my life, so then I would experience random moments of sorrow without knowing why. So I would reluctantly keep the memories and try to transform them into learning experiences.

Yes :(

I’d remove the day that I first got stung by a bee in 3rd grade….Maybe I wouldn’t be so afraid of them after that…

Oh yeh…totally. If I could erase all the nasty things Ive seen during public transportation, it would do me wonders. If I could erase all the shit that has been said to me throughout my life, yeh that would be good too as Im slightly unforgiving. And if I could erase all the worries that my mind creates, that would be good too haha