memory erasor.

Recently I watched an episode of This American Life that really resonated with me. If you are not familiar with This American Life, it is a radio program from public radio station WBEZ in Chicago and is distributed by Public Radio International on a weekly bases. Starting in 2007 Showtime started airing episodes created by Ira Glass and the team for television.

I was watching episode 6 of the first season, and was struck by the topic of memory that opened the show. The short interview detailed the findings of a two man group studying chemicals in the brain that are responsible for certain memory functions. The two found a chemical that effectively wipes out memory. If use of the chemical is stopped, then normal memory storage and functions resume. However, all past memories are wiped clean.

After the two published their findings the letters started flooding in, mostly from people not of the scientific community. There were lots of people who wanted their memories erased. There is one particular point where one of the researchers read one of the letters and started to cry. It was from a person who didn't want to remember anything that had ever happened to them and was begging for relief. It was heartbreaking.

If anyone is interested, here is more info This American Life