In all honesty, truth is subjective. Anyone can say that this flag is blue or this number is nine, but perception of the world around is becomes much more than simply seeing what it is. Not only do our higher brain functions interfere with direct, unimpeded translations - for the better - but even memory recall is an extremely poor way to try and understand what the truth of the matter is. In fact, almost every single time one recalls a memory, it changes just slightly - not enough to necessarily be alarming or cause issues, but usually our brain simply fills in blanks that are otherwise unneeded due to how memories that are unimportant or not extreme such as trauma or intense joy like marriage. Put simply, memories, like many things, fade with time. It's impossible to sit down and write exactly how one felt at any specific time before the present, and even as time moves on your perception is being altered just by writing it down.
No one wants to write down words and then be criticized for what they feel is fair and just, no one wants to have to write anything and then realize that they made a fool of themselves the next day; so instead, we put on facades and never go too deep, either that, or by the next day out perceptions and feelings have changed on the matter and we will have different, perhaps wildly differing opinions.
In terms of transferring to a blog - honestly, I feel that a memoir is already only an over-sized blog post! There is very little breaking them apart besides the fact that they are usually much larger than the average size of a post on a blog or Facebook update, but otherwise they still accompany many of the things that make memoirs popular - an inter-personal look at one's feelings, thoughts, emotions, and perceptions as they travel through life. And, just like a blog or any other personal writing, a memoir is just as susceptible to personal biases and only what the writer has seen themselves.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Week 12: The View from Halfway Down
The View From Halfway Down: Mental Illness in Television Mental health on television shows is a tricky subject to navigate. There are too...
-
I always loved how different the lighting seemed in the morning. Bright, but not blinding. Soft, but still noticeable. As I walked along the...
-
First, a disclaimer. Despite the title, my memoir will not be about the actor/wrestler Dwayne Johnson. Sorry to disappoint, but if it’s... -
Most of my life I have had some crazy ideas, from political ones to ideas about where to put the picture on the wall. I like to be heard, an...
I completely agree that our memory recall is poor. The way that we look back on a situation now is completely different than how we will view it years from now. The details start to fade and we begin to remember it differently as time goes by. It is a very interesting concept to think about. Especially when having a memory with two people in it. Each individual will recall it differently in a number of ways. I also agree that a memoir is practically a physical copy of a blog. The emotions, ideas, and feelings are still there. I like how you said, "a memoir is just as susceptible to personal biases and only what the writer has seen themselves". Ultimately the audience does not know if there is any blurring between fact and fiction when reading a memoir, which makes one become skeptical when reading. Nonetheless, memoirs are still very entertaining and enjoyable to read.
ReplyDelete