Wait, what did I come here for? It's not a sign of brain aging! A US bestseller reveals why 'forgetfulness' is actually a powerful function: 'Why We Remember'

"What was that person's name again?"
"I came upstairs, but what did I come here to get?"

Have you ever felt anxious after such a lapse in memory, wondering, "Has my memory gotten worse?"

But, rest assured (?).

According to Dr. Charan Ranganath, a renowned neuroscientist at the University of California, that is proof that your brain is working normally.

Today, I'm introducing "Why We Remember," which became a bestseller in the US in 2024!

Memory is a storyteller, not a video camera

We often imagine memory as something like a "video tape recording the past" or a "photo album."

As if pressing the play button would bring the past back exactly as it was.

Actually, that is a major misconception.

Dr. Ranganath explains that memory is a "creative reconstruction process."

The brain does not store past events exactly as they happened.

It stores fragmented information (the smell, the emotion, parts of the imagery from that time, etc.) and, every time we recall them, it pieces them together like a puzzle to create a story from our current perspective.

In other words, memory is not an "accurate record of the past," but a story we tell ourselves right now.

That is why it is a feature of the brain, not a bug, that memories become idealized or change shape slightly as time passes.

The brain's library: Two rooms for "knowledge" and "experience"

There are two main types of memory.

The doctor explains this by comparing it to a "library."

The first is the "library's fact section," known as semantic memory.

This is where knowledge such as "Paris is the capital of France" and "water boils at 100 degrees" is stored.

The context of when and where you learned something may slip away, but the information itself remains.

The second is the 'story corner of the library' known as episodic memory.

Personal experiences, such as 'the taste of the roasted chestnut I ate under the Eiffel Tower in Paris last summer,' are stored here.

This is a memory paired with a specific 'when and where' context.

As we age, our ability to recall stories (episodic memory) in detail weakens, but our ability to handle facts (semantic memory) is maintained.

The reason grandparents might forget what they had for dinner yesterday but still know old wisdom and sayings well is due to this brain mechanism.

Why do we 'forget'?

Perhaps the main point this book wants to make is that forgetting is not an error (failure), but a function (a useful ability).

What would happen if you remembered every face of everyone you passed by today, the price of every product you saw at the supermarket, and every car license plate you caught a glimpse of?

Your brain would be overflowing with unnecessary 'junk information,' making it impossible to find truly important things like 'family memories' or 'important work procedures.'

The brain actively discards unimportant information so that it can quickly retrieve important information.

'Forgetfulness' is proof that your brain is efficiently organizing and decluttering information.

In other words, it is precisely because we have the power to forget that we can live wisely.

Memory exists not for the 'past' but for the 'future'

To begin with, why did living organisms evolve the ability to 'remember'?

It is not to drink tea while reminiscing about the past. It is to survive, in other words, to predict the future.

The brain uses fragments of past memories (like Lego blocks) to simulate future scenarios, such as what will happen next or how to avoid danger.

We are able to make judgments like 'It looks like it might rain with these clouds' or 'That person seems to be in a bad mood, so I'd better not talk to them right now' because we apply past data to future predictions.

We remember the past to live the future better.

The reason why modern people feel their memory is declining

The doctor sounds an alarm for modern people who worry, 'Lately, I've been having trouble remembering things...'

It may not be brain aging, but rather divided attention that is the cause.

To create a memory, you must first direct your attention to the subject.

In a state of 'multitasking,' such as watching TV while looking at your smartphone and thinking about work at the same time, the brain cannot firmly consolidate memories.

As a result, it's not that your memory has declined, but that you never stored the memory in the first place—that is the state you end up in.

There is also an interesting phenomenon called 'photo-taking impairment.'

When you become obsessed with taking photos while traveling, your brain, having delegated the recording to the camera, decides, 'Oh, I don't need to remember this,' and stops consolidating the memory of that moment.

Savoring the 'experience' itself rather than leaving it in a 'record' is the secret to creating vivid memories.

You can start today! 'Memory habits' that are good for the brain

You don't need training or supplements to improve your memory.

I'll leave the reading of the main book to you, but here I'll write a little digest of things like this.

First, try to focus on single-tasking.

When you do something, put your smartphone away and concentrate on that one thing.

Just by stopping 'multitasking,' the retention rate of your memories will increase dramatically.

Next, incorporate changes into your daily life.

If you have the same routine every day, your memories will clump together and become indistinguishable (this is the reason why you feel that 'a year goes by fast as you get older').

Change your commute route, listen to new music, or go to a shop you've never been to. This 'uniqueness' will insert vivid bookmarks into your brain.

And above all, make sure to get plenty of rest.

While you sleep, your brain organizes the day's memories and moves them to the long-term storage warehouse (the cerebral cortex).

Lack of sleep is like force-quitting a computer without pressing the save button.

Getting a good night's sleep is the best investment you can make for your memory.

Learn to love your imperfect memory.

What 'Why We Remember' teaches us is that 'you don't need a perfect memory.'

Our memories can sometimes be wrong, forgotten, or conveniently rewritten.

But it is precisely because of that 'fluctuation' that we are able to overcome painful pasts and weave our own unique stories.

Stop blaming yourself when you say, 'I forgot again.' Your brain is working hard today, just as it always does, to select only what is truly important to you and to help you in the future.

This book was just released. I highly recommend you read it.