Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Blog Post #1: Due Class #16--Freud's Note on the Mystic Writing Pad
Relate Freud’s theory to either your own life (using personal narrative)
or to society (using impersonal analysis). Then comment on two other
students’ responses. Write your response directly on the blog and copy/paste it
into your google doc.
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EMANI MCDOWELL
ReplyDeleteFreud’s theory can relate to my own life because keeping a journal has contributed to me being able to remember significant things that have occurred throughout my life. For some it may be easy to remember significant details from past experiences. But I have found that throughout keeping a journal it allows me to always look back at that moment in my life that is significant. This is because even if a moment is memory worthy, you’re not going to remember what happened, exactly as it happened. But if you take note of things that occur, this becomes simpler to do. Not to say that this will work for everyone, because if you don’t choose to provide sufficient details in your writing when looking back at it, you may not have that detail that triggers something in your memory. But this certainly is useful for me, and for that I believe that Freud’s metaphor comparing a magic slate toy with your memory is an accurate one. With the toy, you can always erase your writing, but it will always have been there. Same with your memory, as long as it is written down on something you have access to, you can always revisit it.
I agree with you on the journal thing, because I actually keep one myself. I've had journals ever since middle school (and I still do), and each day I would record whatever happened to me in that little book. And just like your mind, you can actually alter whatever you write in it. However, you can't erase what happened, because it will always be there.
DeleteYour relation is similar to my relation to Freud's theory because keeping a writing journal to keep track of significant memories gives one the memory space to leave that memory on paper and create more. Humans have millions of memories but there are selective memories we choose to write down and keep close to us. Something like what you ate for dinner two weeks ago would not be as relevant and you wouldn't remember exactly what happened, but if you fell off your skateboard bruised yourself bad, and ended up in the hospital, had went into a coma and recovered that's something definitely a lot more significant and should be kept in your memory.
DeleteGood analogy. I am also jealous of you in the sense that you keep actually keep a journal and are able to go back to it whenever you want. It is important that we are somehow able to go access old memories on command, and it is unfortunate that we are not able to do so with ease and constant rely on fragments of memories.
DeleteI agree with you on the journal because its so much better to write down your memories so you don't forget the significant part about it. I like how you compared the magic slate to because you can erase whatever you wrote but that memory will still be there.
DeleteI agree with you because journals are meant to hold all things significant and when certain things occur you write them down and if in 10 years you wonder what you did with your life at the age of 13 you just go back into your journal and bam the moments are there. And yes like a magic slate we remember things and then they are replaced but never lost.
DeleteI really relate to the whole journal thing, I keep a dream Journal and it really helps me remeber my dreams. I think physically writing things down helps people retain memories far more than any other sort of method.
DeleteI believe that a journal is helpful.. however.. if we look back to our journal from the first grade will we actually remember what we said or did according to what we wrote in the journal? How far back does our memory actually go? Is there a defined period of time for every single person?
DeleteI believe that a journal is helpful.. however.. if we look back to our journal from the first grade will we actually remember what we said or did according to what we wrote in the journal? How far back does our memory actually go? Is there a defined period of time for every single person?
DeleteGlismarie Rivera
ReplyDeleteI believe that Freud's theory can relate to the way I typically live my life because during school, when we take notes, often many of us would use loose leaf paper or a notebook to keep details in it. The thing about it is that once the pages are filled up, and you want to add more of your thoughts and ideas into them, you have to erase the previous ideas on there to make new space for it. It isn't exactly like that with your memory span. Humans can absorb up to 90% of the information they hear in one day, and that could be forever in their minds. You can choose to delete it, but it will always be there, even in the deepest part of your brain. Just like the Magic Slate Toy, you can erase or even alter the ideas you write on, but it would sink to the back of your mind and remain there. Your brain and the magic slate toy are very similar, and just like the two of them, you can always look back at them.
I like the academic comparison, I agree completely with the idea that when we're done taking notes on a filled page, we can't really do anything about the space taken up with notes we can only continue fresh thoughts and that's not how much one's memory span can retain. Once a significant memory is created in the mind, you will mentally live in it for the rest of your life due to it's importance in your life and to you as a person.
DeleteYou're definitely right about how our memories work. No matter how hard you try to erase a memory, that memory will always be lurking around because there will always be something in life that triggers you to remember that specific moment.
DeleteI really like how you tied his theory directly to our studies. I totally agree about the note taking. The memories are always there not matter what. You really can't get rid of them.
DeleteYou're contradicting your ideas.. you said memory can be erased but it is still there.. Erasing something rids of it forever.. it can not be "still there"..
DeleteYou're contradicting your ideas.. you said memory can be erased but it is still there.. Erasing something rids of it forever.. it can not be "still there"..
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ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Freud's theory in relation to my own life because growing up as a child my parents kept a lot " keepsake" memories around so when I get older I could reflect on the significance of something so memorable. Keeping a journal in fact, keeps me close to my memories whether they were extremely significant or pointless. The only disappointment with memories is that you don't remember them all. We all have memories that we cherished but we don't remember every single memory we've encountered. The magic slate toy is in fact an accurate metaphor to compare to one's memories because even the physical object itself creates a memory, but your memories written on it from young are physically gone. I also want to connect a magic slate to a "classic" memory because today's age we keep our memories close to us through modern technology.
ReplyDeleteI feel like you definately have a point about modern technology. Most of our memories now are often in pictures, videos, and in social network forms. Either by a Facebook status written two years ago, or from a picture of your outfit for your first day of high school. Technology has became the primary source for safekeeping memories.
DeleteIt's true what you said about not remembering a lot of your memories. I feel like this is what Freud is trying to prove with the magic slate toy. He's trying to say that this toy shows us that keeping memories is a good thing and we should always remember the significant ones.
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DeleteI agree with you because we don't always remember all of our memories and sometimes we can't even remember every part of a single memory. This is why I also believe keeping a journal can really keep you close to your memories.
DeleteI definitely agree with what you are saying relating to technology because I feel like technology has become something that affects our everyday life. I also feel that it is really disappointing for us not to be able to remember all of the memories we have stored because many of those memories are filled with events that in someone way came to affect who we are today.
DeleteI agree with you because the human mind isn't designed to absorb every single little detail that goes on about our day, instead, we just remember the significant details that happened- like that A+ you got on your math test or the really good score on your SAT's. A journal would also be the best method in cherishing those good times, and even, the bad times.
DeleteFreud's states that our memory can never truly be replaced, and that there will always be marks of it, regardless if new memories take the places of the old ones. However, he does not necessarily state what makes a memory worth saving. I have come to conclusion over time that my most vivid memories are memories which have impacted my life in a direct way. These impacts must be permanent and memorable enough for me to be able to remember it years from now, otherwise it becomes difficult to remember specific details. However, even though it is difficult to understand some details, I never fully forget a memory. I may not always be able to remember it when I want, but at a time or another it comes around. Our memories are fragments which can never be fully deleted. Perhaps overwritten, but the original trails will always be there.
ReplyDeleteI agree that he never states what is worth saving, but I assume he expects us as the reader to figure out what is most important to us. Also, not being able to remember a memory when you want to, is why some suggest you keep a journal.
DeleteI agree with both Caio and Emani but I was thinking that our brains naturally categorizes memories into important and junk. Its works like an email it automatically stores advertisements into junk mails and important documents emails into your inbox.
DeleteI agree with both Caio and Emani but I was thinking that our brains naturally categorizes memories into important and junk. Its works like an email it automatically stores advertisements into junk mails and important documents emails into your inbox.
DeleteI have to agree and disagree with you sir,
Deletethere are plenty of things that i forget, i agree with you in the sense that certain memories will never be forgotten, but many things will be forgotten. to expand on Jigme, i completely agree with you because for instance, we will never remember our exact meal from a few days ago, unless there was something really special about it. Maybe it was really good or awful, or it was with someone special etc.
but i do agree that certain memories will always stay with you in one form another, regardless of how long ago it happened.
Freud's theory can relate to my personal life because when I was in middle school I kept a journal to keep track of everything I did so I wouldn't forget. Now as a high school student I go back into that journal just to get an idea of what was going on in my life at that time and it helped me to regain my memory of my life as a middle school student. Therefore, I agree with his saying that keeping a journal can help you to remember things you've accomplished and done throughout your life. A journal will help a person never forget things it will help them to get a better understanding of how they were and what has changed and a journal can serve a great purpose to anyone aging because most tend to lose their memories and a journal can help them to regain the missing puzzle pieces in their lives. The way I grew up was that my family would keep everything all over the house and put up pictures and letters we wrote as kids to keep the memory and never forget the things we did. I feel like that helps me to get a better understanding of things I did and the way it made my family feel and with those memories all over the house I can't forget them they will always be near and dear to my heart. Keeping a journal to me is a gateway to never forgetting what you've done, whether it be big or small we will never lose track of those events because we wrote them down and if we were to ever forget we just go back into the journal and study it as if for a test and everything will come back. Now with the magic slate it relates to today's modern technology things that are written can be deleted but they can brought back. Nothing is ever gone there will always be a way to gain it back.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I kept a journal was around my elementary school years. Just recently I came across it and decided to read through the various pages. I couldn't help but be embarrassed reading all the things I wrote down. It's crazy to see much we've grown in a couple years, I guess we tend to suppress memories that can ultimately help us see changes in ourselves.
DeleteMy 3rd grade teacher once bought all of her students cute little journals and told us to write in them everyday and read them 10 years later because she did that once and wanted us to do the same. Your experience is relate able because when I read my journal from 3rd grade I started to realize how much not only I've changed and grown, but also the things I wrote about such as my family and my surroundings. To this day I'm grateful for my 3rd teacher for making us do that.
DeleteI agree with Freud theory and it can also be related to my life because I believe keeping a journal of memories you probably can't remember its a good thing. If you have significant memories since your childhood, why not write them down and keep them because there will always be a time where you want to go back and read them. When he compares the magic slate and writing down memories I agree because I believe he's trying to say that you should never forget good memories and you should write it down just to cherish them. Even though with the magic slate toy you can erase whatever you write, but you can never erase the memories that stuck with you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Shivana, I think that keeping a journal is a great example of what Freud was talking about, when discussing having you're memories on paper. Also, keeping a journal can help you track your progress as you begin to find yourself.
DeleteI agree with you. It is good to write down good memories to cherish them. A lot of times when we are going through tough times or just feeling down, going back to our journals and re-reading our positive memories can help us. I feel like this is something everyone should do.
DeleteI agree writing can be erased but the memories will always be there and a journal helps you to remember the little things that happened in your life and help you keep track of not only your past life but your present life as well.
DeleteI agree with what you are stating I also feel like a journal is a great option to making sure you keep your good memories with you. I think that memories definitely are something that define you and so you must make sure you try and keep hold of the ones that have impact you the most.
DeleteSigmund Freud’s metaphor between the human brain and the “mystic pad” creates a visual representation of how our minds work when it comes to remembering and storing ideas. Freud's theory ultimately concludes that having a tangible document of your memories is credible whereas the memory from your brain is modified in one way or another. In today's society, we undoubtedly live In a technologically advanced world. Tablets, smartphones, and social media are just some of the aspects that are available to the majority of the world. While tablets and phones allow us to capture moments and social media allows us to post anything and everything for the world to see, we can’t deny the fact that these moments will last forever. Growing up you’ve always heard adults warning you about what you post online because once you post something, it'll be there forever. Whether you care or not, that idea still stands. The thought that writing memories on down on a piece of paper includes cons such as; running out of space to jot down more ideas, is not the case anymore. With the use of blogs and various apps created for writing, you are given a space to write endlessly. The overall theory made by Freud will always stand true in my opinion but, his use of “mystic pads” and wax slates do not seem to relate to us in the modern world. Your social media comments will wait for you on your account time and time again and your documents will be saved just like the one I'm typing right now. Therefore, the struggle between keeping a memory and erasing a memory is long gone.
ReplyDeleteNayeli Pena
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate my own life to Freud's theory. Writing down your memories can help you keep an unaltered version of it because as time passes you may forget or unintentionally change significant details about those memories. Personally, I am a very forgetful person and I feel like writing things down in general really helps me remember them. For instance, I remember summer of 2012, when I visited Dominican Republic, I went to a really nice resort. Since I knew that a year from then I would probably not remember half of the things I did throughout that vacation, I decided to buy a journal and write about all of the fun experiences I had. I am pretty sure that if I would have not wrote about my vacation in Dominican Republic back in 2012, today I would I have not remembered all the fun things I did.
Me gusta. I am also very similar to what you described.
DeleteI can also connect to many moments in life where I'm in a situation and I remember that something funny happened before that related to it but since I didn't write down my thoughts I forget exactly what the situation was about.
DeleteI also did the same thing when I went to Bangladesh in 2009! At the moment I don't remember certain things but every time I reread my journal I remember most things!
DeleteI can forget things as soon as they happen so it makes sense
DeleteI definitely agree with Sigmund Freud's theory. I think that his metaphor of comparing the Mystic writing pad with the way human memories work was valid. I can relate to this because I have had moments in which I seem to know something that I really thought I did not know. This makes me think of the explanation he gave about the second surface still having all you wrote at first on it. I remember seeing a picture of someone who I thought I did not know and when I saw the picture I had a flashback and seemed to feel like I did know the person. It is as if your mind stores up all these memories and some you seem to remember while others you can't. Maybe, this is all related to the fact that the one's you do remember are more valuable to you and you cherish them more.
ReplyDeleteVery well put. I like the fact that you included that some photos can lead to a flash back.
DeleteI agree that there are many moments where we forget about about someone or something that were very significant to us and being able to remember by looking at a photo makes it a lot more significant us.
DeleteI believe Freud's theory can be seen in my own life. Most of my own childhood memories have been corrupted over time. However the memories that were not corrupted are because these memories have either been written down or stored in the form of a photograph. One such photograph was of me and a friend in a play ground. This allowed me to remember a individual moment from many years go. One flaw to this I found is that a picture does not give background information, which also means a photograph can not provide all the information needed for me to make a 100% accurate recollection.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you brought up a certain way people try to record memories.
DeleteThis is Jigme by the way.
Deletei kind of disagree with you about the photograph but i kind of agree also. From personal experience at least, looking at a photograph can instantly bring back so much more than i thought i could ever remember. I have a photograph of me and my friend at a baseball game, from at least 10 years ago. Just by looking at the photo i remember so much about that entire day, not just the particular moment in which the photo was taken. However i think this kind of relates to Caios comment, because i feel like if there is a photograph of an event not so significant to you, it may only bring back that certain moment. so i think it really depends.
DeleteDanilsa Lendof
ReplyDeleteI agree with Freud's Theory, it especially connects to me because in my house I keep boxes of pictures from the moment my parents were together. There are times where I forget to be grateful for things I have and I forget about all the blessing that I had throughout my entire life. Although everyone faces hardships in their life by looking back at theses moments from my past I am able to remember all those little small moments that made me smile. Behind most pictures my family had the habit to write things behind the picture such as when and where it was. The experience we go through everyday becomes are memories and by taking a picture of an important or even funny moment allows me to be able to look back at it and remember. Such a little thing as writing a caption behind the picture allows me to have a more clear memory of what actually happened that day as well.
I agree with the idea of Freud's theory. I agree with the way he used metaphor to relate how the mystic pad and how the human's memory are similar, but I personally altered it in my own way. I wasn't much of a writer a child but I like to collect things. This relates to my life because as a child I would keep little things such as wrapping paper, a rock, a bead, or a flower petal..etc. I would keep these with me because I thought these were special to me. These are special to me because they hold a significant memory with me. For example, I kept an embarrassing friendship bracelet my cousin and I made when we were 5. Or a rock from the time I went to Qatar. This relates to the idea of Freud's theory because although I faintly remember what happened at that moment, but instead of having a journal, I use objects to help me capture that memory.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE how you used items to compare to your brain and that was just perfect. I also think that having a souvenir helps you remember what happened that day maybe not as detailed as a journal would, but it still helps. And I agree with your whole paragraph.
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DeleteJigme Dorjee
ReplyDeleteI agree with Freud’s theory because it is evident through out my life. I think I have wrestled with 30 different people in my wrestling career but I only remember the ones that I lost to. Every time I loose to a person I always write their name and school name down in my notes. I do this because I never want to forget my failures. Yes winning is awesome but redemption has more glory. I work towards clearing all of the names by practicing harder than them. I have already crossed out couple of names. In a way I was practicing Freud’s theory all along.
I think that this doesn't really relate to Freud's theory, I don't get how you losing in wrestling can be compared with how our brain is like a wax slab.
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DeleteIt's lose not loose.
DeleteFrom personal experience, Freud's theory really hits home. I completely agree that there are certain memories that are just unforgettable. No matter how hard you try, you just will never be able to forget it. In my opinion though, these memories do not have to be important moments in your life, In my opinion you can fully remember the most random insignificant event. I have a full recollection of this time me and my mom were trying to catch a train. I took her credit card to pay for the tickets, because i thought i could do it so much faster, but i kept messing up and we missed the train. Despite the fact that this is a minuscule event in my life, i don't think i will ever forget it, solely for the fact i have thought about it too many times. I think somethings just stick with you for unknown reasons.
ReplyDeleteI get it I remember things all the time that aren't that important.
DeleteJenny Fine
ReplyDeleteI think relate heavily to Freud's theory, I keep a dream journal and write in in when I wake up. I write down what I remember and when I look back at each entry, for some reason when I re-read the entries I vividly remeber each dream. It doesn't matter what kind of dream it is, if I write it down I will remeber it. His theory also relates to how I take notes in class. If I type the botes I don't remeber them at all but if I physically write them down they sink in. Now I really understand why teachers ask you to write down notes, you take it all in like water to a sponge.
Writing down notes really helps remember things more clear and quicker! This is one type of method to remember!
DeleteI agree with Freud's theory about how our brain is like the wax slab which he talked about. He used this metaphor to prove that our brain keep getting new memories without forgetting the older ones. While we might forget about it overtime but if the memory is fresh it's hard for us to not remember it. Freud's theory is similar to what I experience in my daily life with music. Music is something I can not live without one could always see me listening to music. But I don't listen to same music, I listen to different songs everyday. It's amazing how I still remember the lyrics of some really old song that I used to listen to 5-6 yrs ago and that's how our brain works. Since I could remember the new songs as well as old songs, Freud's theory applies to me.
ReplyDeleteListening to music is something I love to do as well. It is awesome to know that music helps us remembers so many things. Also, listening to old music brings back old childhood memories and it feels amazing!
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ReplyDeleteI believe that Freud makes a valid statement when he says our minds/memories are similar to a magic slate pad. Not all memories stay/engraved in our minds, only a few. The pad helps mark these memories so they are never to be forgotten. However, it's nice to remember moments like those because it helps the person re-account these memories. Not everyone has valid points in life. The brain won't remember specifically what happened in a certain year or so. The brain only remembers key moments in one's life that made them the person that they are. It's nice to know that this pad has the wax on it so that no one forgets what was written originally, but what makes it difficult is that sometimes things won't stick and the magic pad will be forgotten. The more you write, the original ideas are not visible anymore, and we all have to deal with that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Freud's theory because It happens to me all the time. I think that my memories have been altered especially when it comes to watching T.V. Sometimes when I watching a rerun of a show that I have already watched something different happens from the way that I remember it. That's when I start thinking that they might have changed the episode. But the my memory was probably altered. If I had wrote down how the episode then I probably would not have felt like the episode was changed.
ReplyDeleteOur brain is similar to that of a sim card, storing all the information, gigabytes in the tiny card. In terms of remembrance, certain memories can be long term, others can be short term. We remember something only by choice. What is important to us, what we like, what we dislike, all of that we reflect upon because it affects us. Any type of situation that makes you feel something is an action in the present that will be later on a memory. However, the only reason we forget things is because we aren't able to relate to it anymore as much as we did right then in that moment. Hence, the stronger your relation to that event, the longer your memory lasts. Therefore, a magic slate toy is similar to that of a computer, you can press the button to "clear history", however, the computer has a memory card that stores every letter or key you have pressed. I believe the brain does have a maximum capacity of information it can store, just like a gigabyte, which stores only a certain amount of pictures in an iphone. However, when you want to insert more new pictures, you don't want to upgrade to a new phone and spend 300 dollars.. Instead, you just delete the ones you don't want. Our memories are stored until we decide to wipe them clean and replace them with new ones.
ReplyDeleteOur brain is similar to that of a sim card, storing all the information, gigabytes in the tiny card. In terms of remembrance, certain memories can be long term, others can be short term. We remember something only by choice. What is important to us, what we like, what we dislike, all of that we reflect upon because it affects us. Any type of situation that makes you feel something is an action in the present that will be later on a memory. However, the only reason we forget things is because we aren't able to relate to it anymore as much as we did right then in that moment. Hence, the stronger your relation to that event, the longer your memory lasts. Therefore, a magic slate toy is similar to that of a computer, you can press the button to "clear history", however, the computer has a memory card that stores every letter or key you have pressed. I believe the brain does have a maximum capacity of information it can store, just like a gigabyte, which stores only a certain amount of pictures in an iphone. However, when you want to insert more new pictures, you don't want to upgrade to a new phone and spend 300 dollars.. Instead, you just delete the ones you don't want. Our memories are stored until we decide to wipe them clean and replace them with new ones.
ReplyDelete