Why Don't I Remember That?

When your phone remembers more than you do.

The Fourth Revolution, otherwise known as Industry 4.0, associated with rapid advances in artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, and biotechnology, is changing how humans work, communicate, live, and ultimately, remember. This age has equipped us with the benefit of being able to connect to others through various mediums and the ability to research almost anything that comes into our minds at a moment's notice.

Let's be honest...it's been nice to access the internet without the nuisance of dial-up.

However, having so much information has also brought its own challenges, like misinformation, privacy issues, and information overload. In fact, there is so much information that our brains are struggling to keep up.

One must ask, "What does it profit a man to have access to so much information if he has lost the ability to retain it?"

This consequence has been given a unique name known as digital dementia, the cognitive decline and memory shift that results from excessive use of digital technology. Some of the symptoms of digital dementia happen to be forgetfulness, difficulty sustaining attention, and memory problems such as the inability to process and recall information.

So what is going on specifically?

Well, the constant overstimulation that we have from excessive screen time and sensory input makes it difficult for us to retain the information for long term recall, not to mention that we have become increasingly dependent these devices to store information for us - from documents to information for everyday use like phone numbers and directions to work.

Take a moment and see if you can recall five phone numbers from your memory.

Ehh, so what's the big deal? The less we have to remember, the easier it is for us right?

It's not like we don't have enough going on as humans.

Wrong.

Our brains do not like it. The brain is an organ, similar to a muscle that develops and strengthens through use and resistance. All this "help" from technology is crippling our brains and like any muscle that can be poorly trained, the brain is willing to adapt to whatever we utilize it for. A perfect example of this would be the phenomenon known as "TikTok brain."

Have you ever spent time on "TikTok" or any other short form video platform and found that you couldn't really recall a single thing you watched? What about later when you realize that you are wading through brain fog or re-reading the same paragraph over and over again? All you know is that time has passed and you can't really remember what you watched. All you know is that it felt good to be on it. That's all by design.

TikTok works by exposing the brain to short form video content that gives the brain the novelty that is seeks and needs to thrive with the caveat that it must forget the information or plot or joke from the previous video in order to derive pleasure from the next video. TikTok turns from an enjoyable carousel of entertainment that becomes useless to the brain the moment you get off of it. The brain then continues to crave constant stimulation.

For the time being, we are surrounded by screens and they won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Making the practice of tech hygiene that much more important.

Here are some tips:

1. Set limits for screen time.

2. Establish technology free zone in the home (Bedrooms for children and adults alike are a good idea).

3. Break up screen time by engaging in tactile hobbies.

Here are some ways to keep a happy brain:

1. Keep your brain active by learning a new skill.

2. Stay active! Run, swim, hike, jump, walk...

3. Sleep.

4. Have conversations and interactions in person and with other humans. Not this parasocial relationship that people are promoting with ChatGPT lately.

The key to remembering is being more present in your actual life; not by watching it passively on a screen.

In health,

Lola