The Surprising Benefits of Forgetting

The Surprising Benefits of Forgetting

Whenever Dr. Scott Small is at a social event and tells people what he does for a living — that he's a memory scientist — they inevitably tell him how much they bemoan their own lapses in memory and frequent forgetfulness.

But in his new book, Forgetting: The Benefits of Not Remembering, Scott makes the case that what we think is a problem is actually an advantage, and that if memory wasn't balanced with forgetfulness, life would be a nightmare. Scott is the director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Columbia University, and he begins our conversation by making the distinction between pathological forgetting like dementia, and normal, garden variety forgetting which we all experience, and which is the beneficial type. We then talk about how memories are made, and what happens when they fail to solidify and we forget things. From there we discuss the surprising benefits of forgetting, from giving us the ability to generalize, to allowing us to move on from traumatic events, to enabling us to be more magnanimous in relationships. We also talk about the role of sleep in forgetting, and forgetting in creativity, and how being forgetful might actually make you a better decision maker. We end our conversation with how to know if your forgetting is normal, or something you should be concerned about.

Resources Related to the PodcastConnect With Scott Small

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jaksot(1158)

Stop Saying Um (And Fix the Other Vocal Tics That Are Sabotaging Your Speaking)

Stop Saying Um (And Fix the Other Vocal Tics That Are Sabotaging Your Speaking)

Think about a time you've had to speak in front of others — maybe during a work presentation, a wedding toast, or even on a first date. Did you struggle with using too many filler words, such as "um" ...

14 Tammi 202548min

Man's Search for Meaning, With Viktor Frankl's Grandson

Man's Search for Meaning, With Viktor Frankl's Grandson

I first read Man's Search for Meaning by the neurologist, psychologist, and philosopher Viktor Frankl in high school, and I have re-read it several times since. It's one of the books that's had the bi...

7 Tammi 202556min

How to Hack the Habit Loop to Build a Better Life

How to Hack the Habit Loop to Build a Better Life

Think about your habits, the things you do automatically without much thought — from brushing your teeth in the morning to scrolling social media before bed.There’s a lot going on with these behaviors...

30 Joulu 202449min

Philosophical Tools for Living the Good Life

Philosophical Tools for Living the Good Life

Note: This is a rebroadcast.Most everyone wants to live a good, meaningful life, though we don’t always know what that means and how to do it. Plenty of modern self-improvement programs claim to point...

25 Joulu 20241h 2min

The 6 Principles for Writing Messages People Won't Swipe Away

The 6 Principles for Writing Messages People Won't Swipe Away

Think of all the texts, emails, and social media posts you're inundated with each day. Sometimes you read them, and sometimes you swipe them away, telling yourself, perhaps not so honestly, that you'l...

23 Joulu 202448min

The Swiss Army Knife of Fitness — How to Get Lean, Strong, and Flexible With Kettlebells Alone

The Swiss Army Knife of Fitness — How to Get Lean, Strong, and Flexible With Kettlebells Alone

What if there was one piece of fitness equipment that was affordable, didn’t take up much space, could get you both strong and flexible, and was fun to use?While that might sound too good to be true, ...

18 Joulu 202450min

The Roman Caesars' Guide to Ruling

The Roman Caesars' Guide to Ruling

The Roman caesars were the rulers of the Roman Empire, beginning in 27 BC with Julius Caesar’s heir Augustus, from whom subsequent caesars took their name, and lasting until around the fall of the Wes...

16 Joulu 202457min

The Winter Mindset: How Norwegians Love the Winter (And You Can Too)

The Winter Mindset: How Norwegians Love the Winter (And You Can Too)

When people think about winter, they often focus on the negatives: the cold, the dark, and the seasonal depression the season can bring. But my guest today questions whether winter really has to be so...

11 Joulu 20241h 1min

Suosittua kategoriassa Koulutus

rss-murhan-anatomia
psykopodiaa-podcast
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
adhd-podi
rss-narsisti
rss-rahamania
rss-vapaudu-voimaasi
psykologia
rss-liian-kuuma-peruna
rss-valo-minussa-2
rahapuhetta
kesken
jari-sarasvuo-podcast
ihminen-tavattavissa-tommy-hellsten-instituutti
rss-duodecim-lehti
rss-turun-yliopisto
uskonnon-pitka-oppimaara
rss-niinku-asia-on
aamukahvilla
rss-tietoinen-yhteys-podcast-2