When institutions die, they take some of our memories with them. Without any cues to recall the old memory, it becomes a sort of neural dark matter that lingers

When institutions die, they take some of our memories with them. Without any cues to recall the old memory, it becomes a sort of neural dark matter that lingers within us but can never be accessed. Because people strongly tie their identities to their memories, in a way we lose a part of ourselves. Old friends and family can help here, providing throwbacks that revive memories on the brink.