Memory and the Self

[DiscoStu]

The Self-Memory System (SMS) is a conceptual framework that emphasizes the interconnectedness of self and mem- ory. Within this framework memory is viewed as the data base of the self. The self is conceived as a complex set of active goals and associated self-images, collectively referred to as the working self. The relationship between the working self and long-term memory is a reciprocal one in which autobiographical knowledge constrains what the self is, has been, and can be, whereas the working self-modulates access to long-term knowledge. Specific proposals concerning the role of episodic memories and autobiographical knowledge in the SMS, their function in defining the self, the neuroanatomical basis of the system, its development, relation to consciousness, and possible evolutionary history are considered with reference to current and new findings as well as to findings from the study of impaired autobiographical remembering. Ó 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

http://homepages.abdn.ac.uk/k.allan/pages/dept/webfiles/4thyear/conway%202005%20jml.pdf

thinking last night about the nature of "self" and how it seems to be tied to memory,

[wert]

Damn if its that complicated that explains excactly why i can remember what i did 6 months ago. Or 6 minutes ago but all left in the middle of now and 6 minutes is in a blender on high speed.

[Nibbana]

From my experiences, ego and self seem to be different things. What do you guys reckon?

[Optimystic]

I think of self esteem being a function of Ego.. I think alot of ppl misuse Ego as always being something bad

rather than a function of the mind inteded to aide with critical thinking and survival but however can be

unrecognizable as such in a mind filled with propaganda and junk television, and perhaps junk food has a

chemical effect, altering the mind and thus the ego response as well..

I think of ego as being like MP3s, which we control the input of, and will reflect the garbage or fuel that we supply it with...

the operating system of the personality EGO 1.0

Edited September 3, 2014 by Spine Collector

[rigger]

when I think of ego I remember a guy who gave a speech at a seminar I attended. He walked in holding his head at a ridiculous angle toward the sky. He later explained that he held his head higher than everyone else as a reflection of how much more accomplished he was than the average person. The reasoning for this was because people who aren't proud of themselves hang their head low. He said he was arrogant and that was ok because he was better than average people so he had a reason to be that way. This was all during his talk which was terrible and consisted of material at a basic level of understanding. He delivered it with passion though.

As he marched out of the room with his nose pointed toward the roof I thought he must be good at something because ill never forget him, brings a bit of a smile to my face every time.

Edited September 4, 2014 by rigger

[Optimystic]

@ Wert - this article is relative to your comment I think

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-memory-trace/

here's another article, sort of unrelated which may or may not conflict with the other findings

but i find it interesting

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/science/sheldrake-morphogenic-field-memory-lashley-collective-unconscious-3486.html

@ Rigger, I don't think his observation was exactly accurate... there are plenty of peeps who are arrogant but not well accomplished, parrots if you will. but I think the head pointing thing is more about self esteem... ppl who are confident are more likely to hold their head up while those with low self esteem or even stressed, fatigued, depressed might be inclined to hang their head low... Posture can certainly be indiciative of a healthy self esteem, though not everyone with good grammar becomes a grammar nazi

sure, accomplishment is an aspect of self esteem, but not that everyone with high self esteem is well accomplished but perhaps more likely to become so... arrogance I think is a monkey see monkey do attribute, as there are many well accomplished folks who aren't necessarily arrogant... thus I think he is just rationalizing his own views... I think him even bringing that up points to perhaps an insecurity, or even immaturity (was he sorta young?) and classic misuse of the ego IMHO... though I guess you could say that a mind adapting in modern society, not having to hunt for food and protect oneself from the jungle, is likely to become misaligned with the reasons that ego evolved in the first place

I'll never forget this one country lady, who was very good at selling real estate.. she used to say all the time "You can't Hoot with the owls if you want to soar with the eagles" ... still its comical to me and I really like the wise owls but anways I think that makes some sense lol I have changed alot just by eliminating a group of friends who were bigots and alcoholics... It sorta too me abandoning

those friendships to be able to step back and look at the situation I was in, forgive them and move on with my life

as I stated before I think of ego as the operating system of personality.. EVERYONE has an ego and we use it differently.. to completely remove the ego would align ones personality with that of a rock.. just because someone is humble, giving and understanding doesn't mean they are absent of the ego.. I think of "Ego Death" as more of "Ego Cleansing" as there is not a such thing without completely wiping the memory clean from any function of reaction/response.

The vid on this page gives some insight into how I look at ego, more basically

http://perceivingreality.com/

not that im a full fledged kabbalist but interestingly I find a whole new meaning

in the vid having just watched it than when I did several years ago... if anything

its worth understanding how other ppl view and use ego for the purpose of conscious

development.. its your best friend or worst enemy depending on what you make of it

@ OP... I think the obersvation about PTSD is interesting and reminds me of Anxiety, but then again I've never been diagnosed officially and so I wonder if my anxiety is related to some form of PTSD though mine was more of a traumautic life change... the anxiety i've come to understand is when the mind comes up with all sorts of shit worthy of fear but which has no basis whatsoever so I can see how it might be like a defense of some sorts, but out of whack, trying to defend me from something thats not really there... or perhaps in response to viewing information which might cause alot of stress, and thus influencing old memories of completely unrelated events which generated similar feelings

i've noticed that when I have an anxiety bout, I will have a thought and immediately the emotional response kicks in and with that comes lots of other thoughts and images in an overwhelming format... but at other time when im more level headed, I may even have scary thoughts but the same emotions do not kick in and without being overwhelmed i feel like I have more of a choice to think about something else or just handle it easily... I think watching a shitload of conspiracy theory type videos can be just as much of a trigger as living through the physical event, depending on the state of mind... and also music seems to preoccupy the sense and sooth stress away, well at least some types of music... I also think some ppl deal with pain and anger by way of rage or rageful music to escape dealing with the underlying cause, not to bash any punk rockers or anything lol when im in more of an angry mood something rough is more soothing to listen to, wheras if i feel overwhelmed I want to hear something softer and peaceful... even those rain vids that Thunderhorse posts have a calming soothing effect on an anxious mind... .

I think personalities/self vary alot based on their means for expressing.... some ppl actively express all their feelings, whether openly or through some form of art, and there are others who internalize most of their feelings and I think theres a wide range of study due perhaps to note the differences... Also very intelligent ppl tend more often to be hermits , not that social people are dumb but perhaps at some level of understanding, gratification becomes easier and needs (not all of them) can be fulfilled more easily where as very impulsive people often seem a bit lacking in that category eh I used to be nearly completly internalized into my 20s and then I had some of my own revelations after 9/11 and old part of me came back alive years later.. I went from a complete social butterfly to a hermit in no time flat and didn't give it any thought for years... one thing which was new, was I started writing again, which is something I did in my late teens but didn't put any energy into that until that part of me came back to life (I guess you can say it that way) .. I think alot of it had to do with beliefs I held and grasped onto as I was entering a career and making alot of choices... years later I didnt' feel like me anymore and so I went through a dramatic shift in my beliefs , and thus stopped giving a crap about presidential elections lol

I think EVERYONE Should take the Myers Briggs personality test, answer it honestly and understand your own strengths and weaknesses and also update over the years to see if you've changed I know I have... I also used to take another personality test called DISC which is a bit different and reveals ones perception of themself, their "Mask" and whether it aligns with their true self, and it also reveals what one internalized in terms of how they think other ppl look at them... for instance I used to have ALOT of books, I always bought books but rarely read them but I wanted to be known as a reader but a.d.d was my worst enemy and rarely did I finish books I started.. when I took DISC it told me I wanted to project that I had it altogether but realized that I had an internal struggle and so my true self was very insecure... (not exactly in those words, someone who understood the test had to explain it to me) I masked it with books and not that I was dumb but i surely felt that I metabolize information alot differntly than ppl around me and had to read things 2 or 3 times to make sense sometimes... years later I had been through some traumas and my test came out completely different... my "Mask" aligned more with my true self and well I should probably take it again... The test can also reveal when a personality is in a time of transition...

Myers briggs test seemed pretty accurate to me too can help you realize if you might actually be fulfilled in a career choice or not not to mention help you choose where you might be a good fit in the long term... some are intiutive feelers and some are abstract thinkers and we might read the same things and receive completely different meanings... I do think everyone shares an aspect of all 16 personality types but over times we strengthen in one category or the other... The Strenghts/Weakness aspect of it can really help one decide what they should be focused on in their life and studies

I am still not the best at staying on one topic.. in my mind, everything is practically linked to everything else and my head goes full speed when stimulated intellectually.... I think of it as being more healthy when learning something is exciting, and when depressed one can learn something but lack in the emotion that gives to a sense of adventure/creativity... anyhow i'd love to be that one who could write 12 pages on the same topic but to most it would seem like im all over the place eh I never fit well into a school/college structure and so I think i've adapted the sort of intellect to help me surive the way I need to without alot of unnecessary info, but I see how in our society we give plaques for memorization and regurgation more often than for innovation and challenging the status quo... even worse we have a nation here (usa) of ppl who watch the news and then pretend to be intellectual when debating topics like the middles east and the economy.. so thats a huge factor regarding personalities @ the way attitudes are sold on television and reflected in the bar scene eh well at least in Texas it can be pretty annoying lol

well anyways I could go on and on...

just food for thoughts laff

Edited September 7, 2014 by Spine Collector

[Optimystic]

I enjoy what I heard today about ego from this perspective:

"People say we can't change human nature overnight, you are asking us to give up the ego, and thats the most difficult of all things to do!

actually it isn't! Because the ego doesn't exist... but of course, if you try to give up your ego, with your ego, then it will take you to the end

of time..."... Alan Watts

From:

 

Edited September 7, 2014 by Spine Collector

[-YT-]

Awesome little talk by Watts. always dug his stuff and as always touching on many aspects that affect us today and will continue too