What Memories Are Made Of

Ahh yes the business of storing memories. We have entire industries that scrape shit out of the earth to build technology that allow us to store our personal memories. Men have made fortunes allowing the sentimental make more and better sentiment.

I'm using that technology right now. Yes, we've come a long way from chipping lines into stones to communicate the past into the future. Everybody seems to take it for granted that this is an entirely positive endeavor. But should we have all these memories stored?

There are benefits undoubtedly. But I've learned that benefits always come with unforeseen costs. The two can never be decoupled. One thing I've learned is that surrounding yourself with sentimental artifacts makes overcoming emotional trauma more difficult. The cliche movie scene of throwing the ex lover's photo into a fire illustrates this idea well.

It seems to me having these constant glimpses into the past makes it more difficult for individuals to live in the present. It makes it harder to move on from unpleasant events. I've noticed from my own experience that when I'm out in nature away from any human creation away from anything symbolic I can just be. I can turn off my memory and my imagination and I feel peaceful and accepting of whatever happens.

I wonder if the goose getting its titty honked in front of all the readers of Hairy Doodle will come back here one day and be reminded of the moment that began his downward spiral of self destruction.

Bonus question: Are the sentimental more prone to psychological problems? Is this their own doing? Can an individual change this?