[jakespencer]

I think this is interesting, and not necessarily unpopular. It seems different people just think about this issue differently. I do everything I can to preserve every single chat history that I can. And I would like to have every face-to-face conversation and phone call recorded and easily accessible for that matter. I have a sense that I am the sum of my experiences and I don't want to forget those experiences - it feels like I am somehow less than myself if I don't remember them.

But I've seen that episode of Black Mirror, too. So I wrestle with the desire to perfectly remember everything that I've ever experienced vs the mental and emotional health benefits that clearly come from being able to forget things.

[yaky]

I read your reply a while ago, but still can't wrap my head around "t feels like I am somehow less than myself if I don't remember them.". I forgot many things, and it's quite ok with me, so I'm trying to understand your view.

Are you trying to remember everything all of the time? Including all of the new memories?

Suppose you are able to record calls and face-to-face interactions. Are you going to spend hours of your life re-watching or fast-forwarding through mundane everyday things?

[jakespencer]

I forget things all the time, but I don't like it. I suppose what I imagine I want is perfect recall of everything I've seen, heard, experienced. I get great joy from looking at old photos or videos, and I hate that there are millions of experiences over my lifetime that I can't recall and that there is no record of.

So, yes, I do want to remember everything all the time.

At the same time, I recognize that there are mental health benefits to forgetting things, so I will settle for being able to easily flip through all of my text messages with friends and loved ones.