TheHighlandHowler: I just recently listened to a science show on this topic (radiolab.org). Experiments with rats showed that injections with a protein-creation-inhibitor would disrupt the formation of memories. Further though, researchers found that when memories are recalled, they are recreated, so injections during recall also disrupted the memories. These results were replicated in humans, specifically holocaust survivors.

/Love NPR

incendi: TheHighlandHowler: hese results were replicated in humans, specifically holocaust survivors.

I'm not sure how I feel about this, mostly because I'm sure there's some asshole out there trying to figure out how much victims of violent rape or child molestation or whatever would pay to forget those things.

I hear ya on that one. Every discovery is either made to make money or flipped to make money. Just a mater of time.

/i don't want to live on this planet anymore

TheAlmightyOS: incendi: TheHighlandHowler: hese results were replicated in humans, specifically holocaust survivors.

I'm not sure how I feel about this, mostly because I'm sure there's some asshole out there trying to figure out how much victims of violent rape or child molestation or whatever would pay to forget those things.

I hear ya on that one. Every discovery is either made to make money or flipped to make money. Just a mater of time.

/i don't want to live on this planet anymore

On the other hand, what if your choice is to want to forget something. Think of the PTSD victims from war or natural disasters....

You act like this is a horrible thing, to me that just says you have no memories yet worth forgetting.

Versed.

Spider Robinson did it best.

I could use some to erase the memory of those photos of the prison guard in the main tab.

Generation_D: TheAlmightyOS: incendi: TheHighlandHowler: hese results were replicated in humans, specifically holocaust survivors.

I'm not sure how I feel about this, mostly because I'm sure there's some asshole out there trying to figure out how much victims of violent rape or child molestation or whatever would pay to forget those things.

I hear ya on that one. Every discovery is either made to make money or flipped to make money. Just a mater of time.

/i don't want to live on this planet anymore

On the other hand, what if your choice is to want to forget something. Think of the PTSD victims from war or natural disasters....

You act like this is a horrible thing, to me that just says you have no memories yet worth forgetting.

No, that is great. It's the people looking to profit from it that my disdain is directed towards. Oh, want to forget that horrible rape? That will be $5000. Please sign here...

Generation_D: You act like this is a horrible thing, to me that just says you have no memories yet worth forgetting.

There are things you would forget, even if it means it could fundamentally change who you are?

Even worse than the victims of abuse buying this product is the possibility of the perpetrators of assault using to to ensure that nobody remembers their face.

So does this finally explain fark repeats?

Meh. Give me a few bottles of hot sake and not only will I erase newly-formed memories, but I'll also channel the spirit of a long dead shogun and begin smashing things and people.

Better yet, don't give me any sake.

incendi: Generation_D: You act like this is a horrible thing, to me that just says you have no memories yet worth forgetting.

Having the ability to forget is not the horrible thing; the potential for exploiting tragedy for one's own financial gain is kind of sickening, and I know there are people that wouldn't hesitate a second to do so. Depending on the horribleness of the memory, it could be worth any amount of money to a person to be able to be rid of it; that doesn't make it right to charge any amount of money for the service (should it ever be developed).

sounds like someone doesn't understand how the world works. tell me, are you a child or just dumb?

Egoy3k: Even worse than the victims of abuse buying this product is the possibility of the perpetrators of assault using to to ensure that nobody remembers their face.

Or so that they themselves can pass any sort of lie detector.

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

incendi: Kid the Universe: sounds like someone doesn't understand how the world works. tell me, are you a child or just dumb?

sounds like someone is a dick. tell me, are you a dick, or just a dick?

Anyway, I suppose ultimately it would be no different than a for-profit rape counseling service, which is okay right up to the point where someone thinks to themselves, "You know, I'm not making enough money, I hope more people get raped."

See, your response tells me you are sufficiently horrible enough of a person to predict reality. The problem isn't what people charge to let others forget. The problem is what happens when the legal system tries to explain that something didn't really happen, if the victim and witnesses choose to forget it.

There wasn't a murder, you never even HAD a son...

FirstNationalBastard: shiat, researchers discovered a technique to erase newly-formed memories?

I can only hope that one day, researchers discover a technique to erase newly-formed memories.

No, per the article "Researchers discovery technique to erase newly formed memories".

They discovery it.

It's called weed.

PreMortem: Bourbon works too.



This too. 

/having one right now

This reminds me of a speculative fiction story where poor people in India were hired to eliminate bad memories for rich people who'd had traumatic experiences. (The bad memory elimination was done via transferring the bad memories to a fleshy blobby thing that got sent to the poor people who touched the blobby things and transformed the memories via psychic powers. The blobby things were then sent back to the rich people who ate them and as a result were no longer traumatized by the bad memories they once had.) I wish I could remember the title of the story.

Wake me when scientists develop a way for you to have pinpoint sharp photographic memory WITHOUT turning you into a weird, nonfunctional savant....