Basically title, shouldn’t whatever we’re trying to remember either exist or not exist in the brain’s memory? How is it that sometimes we are able to remember something after thinking for a while that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to?
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Sometimes, our brain remembers some things better than others. It can be because of a few reasons. First, when we learn or experience something, our brain needs to pay good attention to it for it to stay in our memory. If we are not paying attention or if we get distracted, it becomes harder to remember later.
Second, things that make us feel strong emotions, like happy or scary events, are usually easier to remember. Our brain remembers things that make us feel something.
Third, if we don’t think about or use a memory often, it can fade away over time. It’s like if we don’t play with a toy for a long time, we may forget about it. Also, when we learn new things, they can sometimes mix up with old memories and make it harder to remember them.
Lastly, everyone’s brain is different, and some people have better memories than others. Some people are better at remembering things because they are older or have good health. Each person is unique.
So, it’s normal if some memories are harder to remember than others. Our brain is a bit tricky sometimes, but we can always try our best to remember important things.
I think people think of memories as being files stored in drawers, but that’s not really how the brain works. Memories are stored as patterns in a neurological web. Lots of interconnected pathways and everything is connected to other associated things. When you are working to remember something, you’re strolling along those pathways taking different turns trying to find your way back to a memory by first thinking of other associated things.
Getting to a memory is like getting to a certain tree in a forest. The more times you go to that tree, the more wear you put on the trail leading to that tree, and the easier it becomes to follow that trail the next time.
Edit: Bonus — if you take a friend with you, the trail gets trampled down even more. If you explain an idea to someone else or teach them something you know, it becomes even easier for you to remember the next time.
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