ELI5- why can’t our brains recall every memory?

344 views

I know there have been cases where a person can have ‘total recall’ after an injury (assuming head)… but why can’t our brains just dig and remember everything?

In: 5

12 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Our brains are very powerful, but they are not perfect. They can store a lot of information, but not everything. Imagine your brain is like a bookshelf. It can hold a lot of books, but eventually, there’s just not enough space for all of them.

When you experience something new, your brain decides whether or not to keep that information based on its importance and relevance to you. Some memories are considered more important than others and are stored more easily. Other memories may not seem as important and may be forgotten over time.

Additionally, our brains can sometimes mix up or distort memories, especially over long periods of time. This means that even memories we think we remember very clearly may not be completely accurate.

While there are some rare cases of people with “total recall,” most of us simply can’t remember everything, no matter how hard we try. It’s just the way our brains are designed.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Our brains are very powerful, but they are not perfect. They can store a lot of information, but not everything. Imagine your brain is like a bookshelf. It can hold a lot of books, but eventually, there’s just not enough space for all of them.

When you experience something new, your brain decides whether or not to keep that information based on its importance and relevance to you. Some memories are considered more important than others and are stored more easily. Other memories may not seem as important and may be forgotten over time.

Additionally, our brains can sometimes mix up or distort memories, especially over long periods of time. This means that even memories we think we remember very clearly may not be completely accurate.

While there are some rare cases of people with “total recall,” most of us simply can’t remember everything, no matter how hard we try. It’s just the way our brains are designed.