3 ms·
>Does anyone enjoy digital amnesia? I think most people would want amnesia for certain memories like traumatic events. E.g. a romantic interest rejected you,
by jasode 6y ago
>Does anyone enjoy digital amnesia?
I think most people would want amnesia for certain memories like traumatic events. E.g. a romantic interest rejected you, or football quarterback throws an interception and needs to forget it to fully concentrate on the next play.
For most things, I wish I had more digital documentation of my past life. There were places I visited once that I wish I had photos for. There were people that were important in my life but I forgot their names and never wrote them down. I started keep a daily journal for the last 10 years and it's been so useful that I wish I had been doing that since I was child. If I had a git repo for everything single piece of code I wrote since I was a kid, that would be cool for me to revisit.
Back to your point, another type of purge that's useful are open projects that just nag you. For example, I had a "home automation" project on my todo list for years. In addition to taking space in brain, there were half-assembled open boxes of electronics on the shelf for years as physical reminders of that unfinished task. I finally decided to be realistic about my enthusiasm for that project and just abandon it. I sold the electronics and I feel better now. If I later decide to tackle it again, there will be newer and better technology anyway.
I also had a bookshelf of foreign languages for years that I thought I'd learn for foreign travel. After the COVID-19 crisis, I decided to give them away since I won't be traveling overseas for years. Now their absence no longer remind me of things I never got around to.
Purging bad emotions and unrealistic projects -- yes. Purging life data -- generally no.