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Selective Memory

Gordon-not-Ramsay

I was watching (or rather listening to) a video on YouTube by Orion Kelly aka That Autustic Guy. He's an Australian content creator and author of a book about his experiences being an autistic dad with anautistic son (just like me).

This video was about memory. He said there is a trait called selective memory. This sounded like the perfect excuse for forgetting birthdays and anniversaries, but in fact it's about not recollecting certain moments in your past, like having mole holes in the lawn on your memory. It struck a chord with me, as it is the sort of thing that has happened to me, and has caused arguments with my spouse. Let's face it: it is kind of hard to justify not remembering stuff. It's not like you can peer into someone's brain and check for holes (my brain is like a sieve at the best of times).

I've had something of a good day, kinda. The YouTube vids have helped the time pass quicker, I felt enlightened and I was in a better mood when I got back home.

Anyway, what are you "thoughts" (or lack theteof) regarding this aspect of autism? Does it ring true with anyone else?

Parents

  • I find that I have an excellent memory most of the time and can remember events and conversations from as far back as about 40 years ago, what I have discovered during my life is that I tend to remember things that were particularly important at the time as well as things that I have an interest in and certain forms of data if you will.

    I tend to have trouble remembering more trivial data such as something someone says to me that I am not concentrating fully on or the film I saw that I didn't find that stimulating, so not necessarily selective I think just more attuned to things that my mind considers more important to me personally, like a favourite song that you know all the lyrics to rather than a conversation you were only half concentrating on because you were rehearsing your parts of the conversation in your head.

  • in reply to Jonb2699
    Jonb2699 said:
    you were rehearsing your parts of the conversation in your head.

    I get you there. You're always pre-empting the flow of the conversation, and you working so hard on that you actually forget what the conversation is about!

    And yes, it's selective in that it's informed by interests, and sometimes things that are like mental notes (times of appointments, upcoming birthdays, bill payments etc.) you need to remember, it's more likely to be forgotten.

    Sorry, I've waffled a bit. I suppose it's this mental multitasking: it so, so hard to do. It's almost  as hard as actual multitasking GrinThumbsup

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  • in reply to Jonb2699
    Jonb2699 said:
    you were rehearsing your parts of the conversation in your head.

    I get you there. You're always pre-empting the flow of the conversation, and you working so hard on that you actually forget what the conversation is about!

    And yes, it's selective in that it's informed by interests, and sometimes things that are like mental notes (times of appointments, upcoming birthdays, bill payments etc.) you need to remember, it's more likely to be forgotten.

    Sorry, I've waffled a bit. I suppose it's this mental multitasking: it so, so hard to do. It's almost  as hard as actual multitasking GrinThumbsup

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