I often have discussions about memory. One useful thing I learned in grad school: our memories don't work so well.

I often have discussions about memory. One useful thing I learned in grad school: our memories don't work so well.

Simply knowing this has been problematic: When a lawyer asked what i remembered of an event, I express skepticism of my own memory. When I look at memories that are ten years old (like, say, the day the towers fell), I don't trust the memories.

Other people do. And, I've known for a while that they shouldn't. 

Now there's a New Yorker piece. Hooray!

http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/idea-happened-memory-recollection
http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/idea-happened-memory-recollection