Remembering Perfection
Posted: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
by Sara O'Rourke
I was startled by the news that prying Dutch investigators had discovered a novelty addition to the drug counter - a pill that helps you forget 'bad memories.' Although initially a wonderful idea - the thought of a mind free of the darkness of negative and sensititve experiences, my reaction then turned to suspicion and qualm; what ever will we invent next, a vaccine against rudeness?
Yes, these wonder drugs could have their benefits. People who suffer from emotional disorders would undoubtedly feel a sense of liberation from the shackles of their difficult past, and would in finding this new freedom, be able to proceed with living their lives as lives should be lived - happy.
However, one never escapes the ethical and moral questions when it comes to scientific advancements. In this case specifically, meddling with memory is something many other scientists are unsure about. Because, while the beta-blockers could well erase the bad memories, this could also mean that good memories are also erased. There is no way, thus far, of distinguishing the two.
The problem with erasing memory is extensive. Memories make us who we are - they are forever a part of our identity, which is built on throughout our lives as we learn from painful mistakes. Memory is not solely something emotional, but could also classify the things we learn when we are young, such as not to talk to strangers. It would be arduous if not impossible to measure the extent of the drug's effectiveness on the individual patient.
Doctors leading the revolutionary research do emphasise the youth of this phenomenon, stressing that any clinical prescriptions would still be years in the distance. None the less, the first steps have been made, and another layer has been added to the foundations in a society that strives to reach perfection. Plastic surgery enables us, now, to buy ourselves 'perfect' bodies, cosmetic dentistry can grant us 'perfect' smiles, dieticians can give us the tools to formulate a 'perfect' diet, and even the food we buy in supermarkets is now aesthetically and nutritionally 'perfect', with a longer shelf-life!
Part of what is beautiful and should be celebrated more about the human race is our diversity. We are all born unique, and lead unique lives, so that each experience can be our own to treasure. Trying to change that is just taking away from this very variation. Erasing memory is just a giant and symbolic stride toward the perfect mentality.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi SaraYep, I agree too many variables as yet for this drug to be useful but it's in it's infancy and also I agree with some of your reasoning. However...If they could somehow isolate the bad memory and erase it then for some people this would be great news ie those people who suffer from post traumatic stress disorders as they can be very distressing and manifest numerous physical as well as emotional effects ie. flash backs, insomnia, depression, suicidal thoughts and so on. Counseling alone is not always effective.The value of the drug if it could work and work well, is actually huge.It wouldn't be everyones choice but for those that want to forget.......great.Meanwhile the body has a system already that does this. People are known to completely blank out bad memories and experiences. Thus for the scientists perhaps they need to examine the natural phenomenon (which they may have done) and figure out what centers of the brain are inhibiting/hiding this information.
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