As the world accumulates records of all human activity, from video to searchable text, the power of living memory to command respect and add perspective is fading.
In my lifetime, the last surviving veterans of the Civil War and WWI passed. Of the 16 million WWII veterans, 167,000 survive — all 90 or older, and their numbers decline by about 180 per day. I could see them out as well and witness the sunset of that nostalgia.
MARKERS IN HISTORY
While wars and great tragedies such as the Titanic or 9/11 contribute better known place markers in history, the loss of citizens who saw, who struggled or marveled at signal events slip away little noticed, inflicting a subtle attenuation of our cultural heritage.
In many cases, this loss of first-person reminiscences is less than it seems due to the foibles of human brains, which we now know gently edit our recollections.
There is also a twilight of living memory as the retelling by those who heard first-hand stories are themselves precious but fragile memories. The loss is inevitable, however, a melancholy artifact of mortality.
Agriculture is an ancient, traditional occupation, and until the 20th century relied heavily on living memory as a guide. From weather to animal husbandry, memories transmitted usable knowledge, sustaining respect for older peers. Such a system necessarily required a moderate pace of change for memories to stay relevant.
While writing was the first step toward devaluing memory, electronic memory could be the death blow. An entire life of video will occupy a 10" cube, which will undoubtedly seem large next week. The blistering pace of search improvement accelerates the shift from human to artificial memory. Forgetting will be forgotten.
Part of the lower status of once-revered elders currently roiling our values is driven by this memory displacement. Meanwhile, longer lives increase the incidence of memory dysfunction, amplifying the trend. Our old often struggle to find purpose to replace this once needed contribution.
THE HUMAN CONNECTION
Forgotten is while facts can be stored, feelings cannot. The value of living memory might be communicating emotions during similar times to the young, offering reassurance that hopes and apprehensions are not unusual. The more comforting recollections often are tales of fear or failure, more so than triumph.
The stories of how unforeseen good outcomes are possible and bad experiences endurable are best transmitted by trusted voices and human connection.
Perhaps this seeming loss of importance could be better viewed as a clearer indicator of what generations should be saying to each other to reinforce personal worth and individual capability. Living memory adds authenticity to such helpful words.
