Why People Forget Things

The reason people forget things is because our brain has a biological selection for what we consider to be ‘memorable’. In most cases, these things are dangerous, important, emotional, or huge.

 The cause on why we do this is because our brain basically is always trying to protect us, even without your awareness it’ll always have a task in the sidelines or in the back of your head. By prioritizing what ‘actually matters’, it’s helping you from being overwhelmed by facts & observances that do not matter. Think about it, when was the last time you saw an artificial small plant in a mall or a huge shop? You probably can’t remember, and this is good. Not because you’re stupid or anything, but because if you don’t remember then your brain is doing exactly what it needs to do. Keeping you safe.

 Meanwhile, if you remember that plant or something as insignificant as that then maybe it’s not something you see normally, or not what you consider as ‘normal’. And that’s okay too, because that also means your brain is remembering something unfamiliar as something to be aware of & whether it should pose as a threat or something that needs identification.   

We mostly remember those kinds of things, (dangerous, important, emotional, huge), because they serve as something that resonates with us: with our heart or our brain. Negative things are most likely to be remembered because again, to keep us safe, to know what to stay away from & what is considered a threat. Important things because those things are for your future, and tell you what can lie ahead for the path you’re walking. Emotional things since they show us the value of people, chances for connection, stability, help, what we care about & what has our interests, and the fact that things or people that give you happiness or sadness do relate with what you see dangerous & what helps you. Huge things with them mostly a switch on how we see your own perspective, a flip-side, or because it’s so sudden that it potentially collapses your view on the level you see things that are ‘normal’ on. 

Especially in a society like this, where we’re being grown & taught that videos are expected to be under a minute or by maximum of two, it’s easy to forget things since many of us have adapted doom-scrolling as a hobby which may shorten your attention span plus the fact on social media our brains tend to get used to things being quick & fast for a rush of dopamine. Attention, being very important, is something you’re giving to remember it later.

If our brains remembered everything we see, to the exact amounts of grain there was on our plate & that we had incredible memory, you would feel overwhelmed & that’s not good. Also, acknowledge the fact your brain filters out things for efficiency too instead of just to avoid being overwhelmed, and to show what matters. To the deep part of this, there’s also an extreme part at how your brain filters things. Sometimes, when you experience something extreme your brain will intentionally try to make you forget it to avoid the haunting fear & the threat of that memory being a danger to your survival, and sadly this is a reason why people may have forgotten what their childhood was as if it’s a blur of memories they can’t distinguish each other from. So when you remember something, it’s important to know why you’re remembering it. Maybe it’s something you actually care about, even if you don’t realize it yet. That’s why when someone remembers something small from you, you’re most likely to feel touched.

 Because imagine, someone remembering your favorite kind of chip flavor & buying it because it reminded them of you plus the fact that they’re thoughtful enough to actually give it to you, is really touching. Not because it’s a huge thing, like getting a thousand dollars, but because it’s not supposed to be that important and it’s most likely we just give those details of ourselves not expecting anyone to care about it. People are more likely to remember something from your past like a huge fight, and although it’s nice they remembered it, it’s not gonna be the same as remembering something as little. It’s expected to be remembered, it’s huge, important, dangerous, and emotional, ticking all the factors of what you should remember. And if you find anyone who remembers something small of you, they’re probably a good listener, and those kinds of people are worth keeping close.

 So don’t settle for people who don’t listen, who don’t give you their attention, or prioritize you, or manage their time for you. Stay with the ones who free their time for you, not just spend their free time with you.. Otherwise, really, it’s proof you’re nothing more than a replaceable memory.